NR Instant Produce Food Company (NRF)
LOCATIONLOCATION : Krathum Baen, Samut Sakhon
ESTABLISHEDESTABLISHED : 1991
BRINGING THAI CUISINE INTO THE 21THE 21ST ST CENTURYCENTURY
On the surface, the publicly listed company NR Instant Produce (NRF) looks like one of Thailand’s many successful culinary wholesalers, with a long-established specialty in condiments. However, the company has attracted renewed attention as it shifts its focus to plant-based food and targets an ambitious goal to be carbon-neutral. Why is NRF undertaking this shake-up of its business focus and priorities?
Thai cuisine is one of the country’s top exports. Dishes like tom yum kung (a spicy soup with shrimps) and pad Thai (a dish featuring fried noodles) are served in restaurants around the world. Meanwhile, YouTube channels and cookbooks have further helped to increase the visibility and popularity of Thai food. An equally important, but far less publicized, aspect of this export process has been the production of Thai condiments fit for home cooking. These condiments have gained in popularity in recent years.
At first glance, NR Instant Produce (NRF) looks like one of the successful wholesalers riding this wave. Beginning as a small shophouse factory in the early 1990s, NRF reflects the humble origins of many Thai businesses, while its flagship condiment paste brand Por Kwan symbolizes the enduring appeal of Thai cooking. The paste is now sold in over 25 countries around the world.
However, rather than following the well-trodden path of many other food manufacturers, who stick with tried and tested recipes, NRF has decided to focus on innovation and emphasize the new potential of plant-based products, such as eggplant-based sushi or jackfruit-based protein substitutes, offering an exciting case study on the future of the food industry in Thailand.
HAILAND’S BCG TRANSFORMATION : 40 Case Studies on the Bio-Circular-Green Strategy and the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy In Action” page 58 – 61
