Meatless moves and herbal brews: Thailand's future food industry steps up

Malay Mail

12-05-2025

CHIANG MAI, May 12 (Bernama) — As one of the world's leading exporters of rice, sugar, chicken, and seafood, Thailand — nicknamed 'the Land of Smiles' and long known as the 'kitchen of the world' — is now striving to become a leader in the production of future food.
Future food falls into four categories: functional food and functional ingredients, medical and personalised food, alternative protein, and organic food.
Functional foods include products that offer added health benefits such as boosting immunity or increasing energy—like botanical drinks with Thai herbal extracts such as lemongrass or ginger.
Alternative protein refers to plant-based burgers, sausages, or meat that mimic the taste and texture of real meat.
Future food exports on the rise
Thailand's future food exports are growing rapidly, driven by increasing public awareness of health and wellness.
This trend is partly influenced by the post-Covid-19 shift, with more individuals opting for healthier, sustainably produced, and eco-friendly food options.
According to Smith Taweelerdniti, managing director of Nithi Foods and Vice President of the Thai Future Food Trade Association, future food currently accounts for around nine per cent of Thailand's total food exports.
Speaking at the recent Press Meeting & Networking for Fi Asia & Vitafoods Asia 2025 in Chiang Mai, Taweelerdniti revealed that in January this year, the largest export category — functional food and ingredients — was valued at 11.53 billion Thai baht (RM1.5 billion).
This was followed by medical and personalised food (THB 629 million), alternative protein (THB 384 million), and organic food (THB 117 million).
Thailand's major export markets for this sector include Asean countries (50 per cent), China (21 per cent), the United States (18 per cent), and the European Union (10 per cent).
Meatless Wednesdays
Despite strong export performance, Taweelerdniti believes Thailand's biggest challenge is the still-low domestic consumption of future food.
'If Thais themselves don't eat what they produce, the country cannot claim to be a leader in the future food industry,' he said.
To address this, his organisation collaborated with Informa Markets Thailand in 2023 to launch the 'Wen Day on Wednesday' campaign — 'wen' meaning avoid or skip in Thai.
Each Wednesday, Thais are encouraged to avoid animal-based meat and opt instead for alternative proteins such as plant-based food, fermented products, or edible insects.
The campaign also promotes the inclusion of future food options in food establishments such as restaurants, canteens, schools, hospitals, and hotels, supporting a sustainable lifestyle.
Other initiatives include Space-F, a food tech incubator accelerator supported by the National Innovation Agency, Thai Union, and Mahidol University, which aims to develop and support startups in this field.
Thailand's Ministry of Commerce also supports the movement by ensuring that 30 per cent of food served at official functions is plant-based, contributing to the promotion of future food and carbon emissions reduction.
'Our main goal is to position Thailand as a holistic leader in future food — not just through exports, but also in local consumption, national policy, and food technology,' Taweelerdniti said.
Showcasing future food in Thailand
Since 2005, Thailand has been categorised as an aged society and is on track to become a super-aged society by 2036.
This shift stems from a decline in birth rates — from over one million annually between 1963 and 1983 to around 502,000 births in 2022.
In 2023, the number of retirees aged 60 to 64 outnumbered youths entering the workforce aged 20 to 24.
According to Rungphech Chitanuwat, Regional Portfolio Director for Asean at Informa Markets, nutraceuticals are now a hot topic in Thailand, as the country transitions into a super-aged society.
Nutraceuticals — derived from 'nutrition' and 'pharmaceuticals' — refer to health-enhancing functional foods.
'People are increasingly concerned about illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health issues. We're seeing a rise in supplement use in daily life. This illustrates how the food industry is growing — and it's evident here in Thailand,' she said.
In response, two major food and beverage exhibitions — Fi Asia Thailand and Vitafoods Asia 2025 — will be held concurrently at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok from September 17 to 19.
These events will showcase the full spectrum of innovation in food, drink, and nutraceuticals across the region.
Fi Asia focuses on food and drink ingredients, bringing together over 700 manufacturers and suppliers from around the world.
Meanwhile, Vitafoods Asia highlights functional foods, ingredients, and nutraceutical products.
The exhibitions will also feature innovation zones, international conferences, startup competitions in food and beverage, and programmes on new ingredients and foods.
'We expect over 30,000 visitors and buyers to attend. It's a strong synergy between ingredients, supplements, and finished nutraceutical products,' she said.
'In our conferences, we'll also explore consumer trends in Asia Pacific, reasons behind Thailand's food exports to specific countries, and how the country will enter the super-aged society phase in the coming years.
'We'll also discuss regulatory updates in food export-import laws. This is particularly interesting, as there is still no harmonised regulation in the region. Regulatory authorities will share what needs to be done
'For example, if I want to export to Indonesia, what's the procedure? This kind of knowledge will help participants better understand the food business ecosystem in each country,' she added.
Thailand remains one of the largest markets for nutraceuticals in the Asia Pacific.
According to Euromonitor International, the country's nutraceutical market was worth THB 190 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach THB 239 billion by 2027. — Bernama