From the world’s first spicy coffee, to a fibre-enriched coconut water, we highlight 8 innovative and surprising food and drink products launched recently in Thailand.
Genie’s D.I.Y. Thai Crispy Pancakes with Salted Filling
Thai culinary expert Chef Pom has created a do-it-yourself version of the traditional Thai dessert Khanom Buang, or the Thai Crispy Pancake, for the retail market. Consumers can now make the popular street food using the prepackaged ingredients comprising a pancake, cream and toppings. Thai meal kit manufacturers can expand their scope beyond noodle or curry dishes to include other popular local street foods. These can also target tourists looking for an authentic food to bring home as a souvenir.
Cocomax Coconut Water with Fibre
A focus on functional formulations can drive growth in the stagnant Thai juice market. This drink is described as refreshing and aromatic; it’s enriched with minerals and mixed with inulin fibre, which is extracted from chicory roots by a natural process, and is said to stimulate the excretory system. The drink’s sweetness comes from coconuts and not from sugar.
Prikka Spicy Coffee
Claiming to be the world’s first spicy coffee, this product uses Thai chillies to deliver a warming sensation. It’s said to accelerate calorie burning in the body and it can be enjoyed as a health supplement. The product contains sucralose instead of sugar; it’s also low in fat and free from preservatives and cholesterol.
Bon Trè Corn Soup
This is the first ready-to-drink canned soup launched in the country. The soup comes in a wide open resealable can imported from Japan. It’s easy to open and the wide top also enables an even aroma release. This innovative range includes corn, corn cheese, shiitake mushroom, purple corn, red kidney bean, onion, coriander and edamame flavours. The need for greater convenience is expected to create more opportunities for brands to develop healthy, flavourful and quickly prepared soup to help consumers save time.
Diamond Grains Thai Tea Granola
Thai tea has a unique and aromatic flavour and is much loved in Thailand. Diamond Grains has introduced the traditional, aromatic flavour of Thai tea to the modern ready-to-eat breakfast cereal category to create an interesting mix of Thai flavour and Western-style breakfast food. The Thai tea creates an orange colour when mixed with milk, producing a great taste and pleasant aroma. This is a good example of Mintel Trend ‘Eat With Your Eyes’, which highlights how brands can create foods that engage more senses than just taste.
Chiatoro Crispy Chili Snack with Chia Seed
The chili skin snack concept originates from China, but Thailand’s Chiatoro brings this snack to the next level by incorporating chia seeds. These are known as a superfood and a rich source of fibre, but they also add a crunchy texture, further engaging the senses. Different from other chili skin snacks in the Thai market that come in slices made from larger chili, Chiatoro uses the premium, smaller cayenne pepper. They are available in three flavours: original, black truffle and fried crab curry.
Cha Cha Low Sugar Rose & Honey Drink
Intense physical and sensory experiences give life, brands and products deeper meaning. This product mixes juice with rose water and honey creating a scented juice drink, which can appeal to consumers who look for novel experiences from the beverage category. On pack, the juice drink claims to have low sugar and to contain no preservatives, colours or flavours.
FamilyMart Famí Chashu Pork Burger
Taking inspiration from ramen dishes, this burger includes chashu pork – pork belly in a sweet and savoury sauce – as an unusual filling. The familiar but surprising fusion can intrigue both burger and ramen fans to try it. Brands are keeping foodies and young consumers, who are keen to explore new flavours excited by taking inspiration from authentic dishes that are new to the ready meal format.
Learn more about what Thai consumers want and why with the newly launched Mintel Reports Thailand.