Thailand is a robust manufacturing and export hub located in central Asia, with many large food companies in the region producing large volumes of chicken, pet food, candy, seafood and rice. The country leads the world in exports of canned tuna, cassava starch and pineapple while being ranked second in rice and sugar exports, according to Thailand’s National Food Institute. Overall, the country is ranked 14th in exports among global nations, with a sincere desire to be No. 10 by 2020.
Thai Union, the owner of the Chicken of the Sea and Genova brands in North America, is a food company helping with those important food export volume numbers. Like many other global food producers, the company is now facing a new consumer landscape and embracing innovative approaches for its business model.
“Seafood is not known for innovation,” says Dr. Tunyawat Kasemsuwan, group director for global innovation at Thai Union Group PCL during a recent manufacturing tour of Thailand. “We have ambitious growth goals due to recent mergers and acquisitions, and will continue innovative activities with our manufacturing footprint.”
To help move toward reinventing seafood products, Thai Union entered into a collaboration agreement with Mahidol University’s Faculty of Science to inaugurate the Global Innovation Incubator (GII), the country’s first state-of-the-art innovation incubator, in January 2015.
The GII offers 1,200 square meters for research and development (R&D) activities for Thai Union, including sensory and consumer insight investigation (e-nose), pilot plant initiation, chemistry, nutrition laboratory testing, and innovative product development and commercialization.
