Planting seeds of change: Thai veggie market sprouts into billion-baht industry
In a culinary revolution, plant-based food companies are urged to overhaul taste, slash prices, and boost health benefits. Will this signal a paradigm shift in global dining habits?
The Thai plant-based food market, once a niche, is now a burgeoning industry worth billions. By 2024, it’s expected to skyrocket to 45 billion baht, according to Statista, a German online platform that specializes in data gathering and visualisation.
Amidst a pandemic-induced health consciousness, consumers are ditching meat for plant-based alternatives, presenting lucrative opportunities for food giants like CP Foods and Thai Union Group.
Even unexpected players like the PTT Group are venturing into a plant-based protein business. But amidst this buzz, taste, price, and nutrition remain key concerns for consumers, reported Thai PBS World.
Preeyanut, a government officer, embraces plant-based foods for health benefits but finds them pricey.
“If the prices come down, I will have them more often.”
Meanwhile, Patipon, an office employee, seeks convenience but notes taste disparities among plant-based products.
“I love veggie steamed buns… but vegan spaghetti… was not that great.”
Nida, a business owner, finds plant-based products disappointing, urging brands to match the taste of traditional items.
“I would eat plant-based products over meat products if they tasted better.”
Even dietitian Patsita opts for minimally processed foods, wary of high sodium levels in some plant-based alternatives.
“I often feel thirsty after eating plant-based meats.”
As consumers demand tastier, cheaper, and healthier options, will the plant-based food industry rise to the occasion, reshaping the future of how we eat? Time will tell.
In related news, in a case of social media misunderstanding, a well-intentioned educational post on Facebook by a Thai doctor went viral for the wrong reasons.
Chulalongkorn University shared on its Facebook page an image of Dr Pawat Phuensan with a pink background and a message warning about the dangers of prawn whisker punctures leading to fatal infections. However, netizens misinterpreted the post as an obituary for the doctor, leading to a flood of condolence messages.
