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.