Mekong Enterprise Fund IV completed an investment in Marou

Chocolate Company

Ho Chi Minh City, VIETNAM (31 March 2021) – Mekong Capital announces
that the Mekong Enterprise Fund IV (MEF IV) completed an investment in Marou
Chocolate Company Limited.

Among the first bean-to-bar artisanal chocolate makers in Asia, Marou Chocolate
has long pleased the Vietnamese consumers’ tastebuds with its signature single-
origin dark chocolate bars. Marou’s chocolate is distinctly Vietnamese, made from
cacao beans coming from six provinces in southern Vietnam. The unique taste
and beautiful packaging of its bars have caught the attention of the international
press and the foodie community, evidenced by the multiple awards Marou has
received. Besides manufacturing and distributing chocolate, Marou also runs a
chain of three café-patisserie-chocolate factory concepts called Maison Marou in
Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. In 2020, the company developed another concept
offering on-the-go experience called Marou Station.

The investment from MEF IV will facilitate Marou to further scale up the Maison
Marou and Marou Station concepts, develop new products, as well as build its
team of exceptional leaders. Marou aims to widen the appeal of its chocolate to
Vietnamese customers while maintaining a premium for cacao farmers.

Mr. Vincent Mourou, Co-Founder and CEO of Marou, said:

“Our choice for Mekong Capital started as a spirited conversation between
founders, and effortlessly evolved into a partnership of synergy. Samuel and I
recognized that Mekong Capital’s Vision-based approach resonated with the
Values-based company that we have been building since 2011. Their stellar
reputation, and proven ability to support and deliver founder’s visions, cemented
our decision to further the conversation. We are thrilled to have them on-board
as we take our adventures in chocolate to more chocolate lovers around the
world.”

Mr. Chad Ovel, Partner of Mekong Capital, said:

“Since my first taste of Marou Chocolate nearly ten years ago, I have been a
loyal and devout fan ever since. Thus, I was absolutely thrilled when the
Founders of Marou invited Mekong Capital to join them on the next stage of their
adventure in chocolate: to bring their authentic product to wider audiences, both
in Vietnam and abroad. Together, we are highly committed to achieving that bold
vision.”

CAPITAL PLACE, 8TH FLOOR, 6 THAI VAN LUNG, DISTRICT 1, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM l TEL: (84 8) 3827 3161 l FAX: (84 8) 3827 3162
LOTTE CENTER HANOI, 31ST FLOOR, EAST TOWER, 54 LIEU GIAI, BA DINH DISTRICT, HANOI, VIETNAM l TEL: (84 4) 3772 4888 l FAX: (84 4) 3772 4868
www.mekongcapital.com
About Marou Chocolate Company Limited

Founded in 2011 by two Frenchmen living in Vietnam, Marou Chocolate is a testament to the
sophisticated flavors that Vietnamese cacao beans offer to the world. The founders Samuel
Maruta and Vincent Mourou first crossed paths during a survival course weekend in the
jungles of Vietnam. Later, intrigued by the cacao beans growing in Vietnam, the pair set
course for a cacao farm in Ba Ria Province and, on the ferry back to Ho Chi Minh City,
decided to try their hand at chocolate making. Ever since, Marou Chocolate has stayed true
to its origin of making dark chocolate entirely from Vietnam’s finest ingredients.

In 2016, Marou opened its first Maison Marou location on Calmette street in Ho Chi Minh
City, and subsequently expanded to Hanoi. Their three flagship stores offer customers with
an immersive experience in the world of fine chocolate-making and pastries, all the while
highlighting Marou’s adventures via beautiful designs and graphics.

Marou Chocolate Company Limited is the first investee company announced by Mekong
Enterprise Fund IV.

For more information about Marou, please visit the firm’s website at marouchocolate.com.

About Mekong Capital & Mekong Enterprise Fund IV

Established in 2001, Mekong Capital has the most extensive private equity track record in
Vietnam. Their funds have completed 35 private equity investments, of which 27 have been
fully exited. Mekong Capital has advised 5 funds, and 2 are currently active.

Mekong Capital’s investee companies have typically been among the fastest-growing
companies in Vietnam’s consumer-driven sectors such as retail, restaurants, consumer
products, and education. Some of their well-known investment successes include Mobile
World, Phu Nhuan Jewelry (PNJ), ICP, Golden Gate, Vietnam Australia International School
(VAS), Masan Consumer, Traphaco, Pharmacity, F88, YOLA, Pizza 4P’s, Vua Nem, ABA
Cooltrans, and Nhat Tin Logistics.

Mekong Enterprise Fund IV (MEF IV) is a private equity fund with $246 million in committed
capital. MEF IV will continue Mekong Capital’s successful strategy of investing in growth-
equity investments in Vietnamese companies and exclusively in proven consumer-driven
sectors that benefit from the growth in Vietnamese consumer demand and the adoption of
modern business practices. The Fund will focus in particular on retail, education, restaurants,
consumer services, FMCG, and health care.

MEF IV applies Mekong Capital’s Ontological Private Equity approach and the Vision Driven
Investing framework with an intention to fulfill its commitment for each investee company to
achieve its vision.

For more information about Mekong Capital and Mekong Enterprise Fund IV, please visit
www.mekongcapital.com.

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Media contact:
Ms. Tran Thi Hoang Hac, Senior Corporate Communications Officer
E-mail: hoanghac@mekongcapital.com

CAPITAL PLACE, 8TH FLOOR, 6 THAI VAN LUNG, DISTRICT 1, HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM l TEL: (84 8) 3827 3161 l FAX: (84 8) 3827 3162
LOTTE CENTER HANOI, 31ST FLOOR, EAST TOWER, 54 LIEU GIAI, BA DINH DISTRICT, HANOI, VIETNAM l TEL: (84 4) 3772 4888 l FAX: (84 4) 3772 4868
www.mekongcapital.com