Thnot d'Or 2025: Mango Transformation in the Spotlight

On July 26, the Kinal Foundation held its annual Thnot d'Or awards ceremony, an event that brought together nearly 400 national and international guests. The 2025 edition was held under the honorary presidency of His Excellency Ouch Borith, First Vice President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia, alongside Dr. Hay Ly Eang, President of the Kinal Foundation and Chairman and CEO of the PPM Confirel Group.

The laureates of this edition all shone through their creativity in mango transformation, a symbolic fruit of Cambodia and the main subject of this 2025 edition.

The ten teams selected for the final, out of the forty that participated in the first round, were interviewed that same morning by the members of a jury composed of Dr. Buntong Borarin, Director of the Research and Extension Division at the Royal University of Agriculture; Mr. Tim Vorn, Head of the Research and Development Division at the Education Organization Regional Centre for Technical Education Development (SEAMEO TED / MOEYS); Mr. Lao Reasey, Deputy Director of the Department of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Commerce; Mr. Philippe Monnin, Managing Director of Memot Rubber Plantation; and Mr. Sok Sarang, International Auditor at ECOCERT.

After deliberation, the jury awarded the first prize—1,000 USD—to a team from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia for their project: "Transformation of mango into finished products: mango butter, tea made from mango peels, and biodegradable packaging designed from mango leaves to support the environment and improve farmers’ economies." 

The second prize—500 USD—was also awarded to a team from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia, for their innovation in transforming mango into vinegar.

The third prize—300 USD—went to a team from the Kampong Speu Institute of Technology, for their project converting the Keo Romeat mango variety into three different products.

In a much-applauded gesture, H.E. Ouch Borith offered, in addition to the prizes awarded by the Kinal Foundation, a personal contribution of one million riels—250 USD—to each of the three winning teams, demonstrating his commitment to innovation and student entrepreneurship.

"I consider this program truly remarkable. It gives everyone the opportunity to update their knowledge and invest in their future, that of their family, and the entire nation," he emphasized in his speech.

Dr. Hay Ly Eang took the occasion to announce a merger of the prizes created by the Kinal Foundation, the driving force behind the PPM-Confirel Group's CSR policy: "The launch of the Kinal Prize in 2013 for medical and pharmacy students marked the beginning of the Kinal Foundation’s commitment to youth and applied research in Cambodia," he recalled. "Building on this initiative, the group continued its work by launching the Thnot d’Or, awards dedicated to innovation in promoting Khmer local products and healthy eating. These two prizes have each, in their respective fields, helped reveal local talents and, above all, supported the creation of innovative sectors, serving the rural and economic development of the country."

"Buoyed by these results, it is time to take a new step, making these two prizes an even greater source of inspiration for the future of young Cambodian researchers. We have decided to announce the results of the Kinal Prize and the Thnot d’Or in a single ceremony next year. We hope that this fusion will make the 2026 awards ceremony even more prestigious than previous years, with even more visibility for student-researchers," explained Dr. Hay. 

The ceremony was also an opportunity to thank the many partners supporting this initiative, such as the ministries of Agriculture, Education, Youth and Sports, Commerce, as well as the university faculties and institutes—eleven in total across the country—that sent students to participate in the competition. New in the 2025 edition, the company Ecocert partnered with the ceremony as a sponsor, thus highlighting the importance of the Thnot d'Or's commitment to sustainable agriculture and processing practices in Cambodia.