On January 24, KIDO Group Corporation (KIDO Group, HOSE: KDC) will hold an extraordinary general shareholders meeting. In addition to reviewing business performance in 2024, the company will address issues related to Celano and Merino ice cream brands, which it owns and manages.

The draft document to be submitted to the extraordinary general meeting shows that in early 2022, KIDO Group initiated procedures to transfer all brands and trademarks from its subsidiaries to the holding company, including the Celano ice cream brand, from KIDO Frozen Foods Joint Stock Company (KIDO Foods).

In June 2022, KIDO Foods transferred the ownership of the protected trademarks, including Celano, to KIDO Group. Subsequently, through a service organization and industrial property representation, KIDO Group received the adjustment of the brand registration certificate approved by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam under the Ministry of Science and Technology (MST).

Before the establishment and first registration of the original Celano brand in 2007, the Merino ice cream brand belonged to KIDO One Member Company Limited (later KIDO Foods) when the group acquired Wall’s ice cream in 2003. The Merino brand was transferred from KIDO Foods to KIDO Group in December 2023.

However, as KIDO Group reduced its ownership ratio and KIDO Foods became an affiliated company of the group, the use of the two brands - Celano and Merino - needed reconsideration. Thus, KIDO Group is going to present this issue for shareholder opinions at the upcoming extraordinary meeting.

Dau Tu newspaper reported that KIDO transferred 17.8 million KDF shares, or 24.03 percent of capital in April 2023 at VND1 trillion, reducing its ownership ratio from 73 percent to 49 percent.

VietNamNet has found that in relation with the dispute over the ownership of the brands, KIDO Group filed a lawsuit against KIDO Foods. This civil lawsuit over "Intellectual Property Dispute" is being handled by the HCMC People's Court.

On January 17, the HCM City People's Court decided to impose interim urgent measures to "Prohibit or require certain actions" against KIDO Foods.

The court has prohibited KIDO Foods from using (advertise, promote, or introduce) the "Celano" brand and requires Dat Viet Media Joint Stock Company not to advertise, promote, or introduce the "Celano" brand in the programs "Anh Trai Say Hi" and "2 Days 1 Night”, two very popular shows.

"This decision is effective immediately and is to be executed according to the law on civil judgment enforcement," the HCM City People's Court stated.

Manh Ha