Health and sustainability are at the heart of Thailand’s emerging food trends. Although the COVID-19 pandemic seems like a tale from past times, its repercussions on the eating habits of Thais are still unraveling. Thai consumers have become more aware of the importance of physical health and healthy consumption due to a heightened fear of contracting coronavirus and the desire to stay in shape. The self-care and fitness trends on social media also contribute to the growing consciousness among Thais. The desire for healthier food choices and environmental concerns among Thailand's consumers has brought about growing food trends toward organic, alternative proteins, and sustainable options. The
also present themselves in the form of paying more attention to healthier ingredients and regularly consuming dietary supplements or vitamins.
Healthy eating and sustainable living in Thailand
In January 2023, a survey found that overall health and wellness were the
leading health concerns Thai consumers wished to resolve. Thai people are starting to care more about their nutrition intake. By choosing to consume healthy foods, sales of fresh produce such as vegetables and fruits in Thailand have increased in parallel with that of vitamins and dietary supplements. Alongside healthy food, sustainability has become another associated concept grasped among Thai consumers. Most Thais surveyed in December 2023 stated they had adopted
sustainable consumption practices when purchasing goods. The same survey found that this was done in various ways, including reducing food delivery, diminishing meat and animal product consumption, and buying organic food.
Organic food market in Thailand
The organic food trend has gained popularity among health-conscious Thai consumers, together with the rising consumer preference for clean food. Although organic food and beverages are often limited to high-income individuals due to higher prices, there is an increasing demand from middle-class consumers. The
value of organic packaged food and beverages consumed in Thailand has been continuously growing, forecasted to reach nearly 33 million U.S. dollars in 2024. For Thai consumers, fruits and vegetables were the most important food products to be organic. Regardless of the rising popularity, some consumers still showed
reservations toward purchasing organic food, mainly due to the disbelief that these foods are healthier than conventionally grown food products.
Rising popularity of plant-based food
Recently, demand for alternative proteins like plant-based meats has been gaining momentum as people seek healthier and more eco-friendly protein sources. As the popularity of alternative proteins among health enthusiasts grows, more opportunities have been emerging for businesses in the industry. The
market value of plant-based food in Thailand was forecasted to reach around 45 billion Thai baht in 2024, jumping from almost 30 billion Thai baht in 2019. Some key players in Thailand’s plant-based food arena include Thai-national startups like More Meat, and major international companies such as Harvest Gourmet under Nestlé Thailand, Meat Zero under CP Foods, and Beyond Meat, which has international standing in the plant-based food industry.
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