Boring "Kitchen of The World"－Foodex 2009 Thai Booth

Contributed by Food Development Committee, JTBF
Hiroshi Motomura

  "Nothing has changed !", we murmured when we, members of Food Development Committee of JTBF, visited Foodex 2009 to Thai booth. It was not the rainy weather alone that made us feel gloomy. In the past years, we visited Foodex every time to find boring Thai booth, just a plain display of canned or bottled foods. And again this year, nothing has changed.

  Under a fierce competitive environment of food industry, what Thailand is going appeal to Japanese as well as world consumers? Our members visited Thai booth one after another, speaking a limited number of Thai words. We found a booth of Thai fruits. Familiar mango was displayed in a dozen-size case, just so it was. What is the different and appealing feature of Thai mango from that of Philippines or Mexico? We, even though we were Thai favored, were unable to understand an intention of display and fell into embarrassment.

  Sales ladies were sitting behind and were concentrated in taking lunch, showing no concern to visitors, as if to say "please do not disturb us during lunch time". We had to hurry to the next booth. Same, the same world of deja vu. Big food industries, such as CP, did not participate in the display. It was even better last year. Even though the booth was same, cheerful sellers were engaged in sales battle on a different prominent corner. We missed that cheerful voice.

  It was far different from our understanding of exhibition, without consolidated concept nor planned visibility. Is it worthy of spending a sum of money? Not only our members but others might have thought so. "Keep you up, Thailand !"

  Towards the end of February, I joined JTBF Mission to Thailand for this year. As I arrived in Bangkok a few days earlier, I visited "Mango　Tango" in Siam Square, a popular spot for young Japanese ladies. What a huge number of Japanese lady tourists ! Young lady groups, young couples, young families with children. The shop was side-long, not so big, but was full of spirits and excitements. Coming in, going out, coming in ...no time to keep the table unseated. They sell just Mango and why it is so flourishing ! Take a look at Mango juice. Half cut Mango meat, Mango ice cubes and sticky rice with coconut milk on them, 80 bahts. Just a simple plate but it is not bad at all. Eco-bag with "Mango Tango" logo is making Thai people crazy. It is a hot seller to Japanese tourists, too. Just an ingenious idea, and Japanese ladies-magazine picked it up, followed by day-after-day rushing of tourists.

  What can we learn from this? What could happen if you open a shop, mock "Mango Tango" in the Thai booth, and have Thai or Japanese young Phuyin throw welcoming smiles to visitors? I am sure the shop will be full of excitement. "Oh! Mango can play such a fresh and new role of display and tasting!" It will catch hearts of buyers. Why not take a look inside to trendy movements! Why not make an appeal of Thai features!

  If an appealing point of Thai foods, in challenging Chinese food, is "safety and peace of mind", it is important to demonstrate the steps "how it is realized". It is also important to put a clear distinction on the appealing point.

  Moving to the other floor, I also attended CP group's seminar. They introduced their "integration system" which controls all processes of feeding shrimps and chickens, including feedstuff production as well as food production, under their own facilities. I was interested in their trial of "indoor fish-farming". Traditional fish farms are located in the river mouth near the sea, where hygiene control is not easy owing to unavoidable contaminants such as bird feces and water flea. Pollution to the environment is also a growing concern. The "indoor fish-farming" could solve all of these worries and draw attentions of concerned people and house wives.

  How about an idea of emphasizing the clean fish-farming and serving shrimps of this kind to visitors as they are cooked to "tempura" in the booth corner.

  Another fresh surprise was Thai chocolate. I know Thailand for a long time but this one. They say they distribute to NESTLE Thailand. They also have their own store in Soi 23 Sukhumvit. Cacao is imported from South Africa (?), but they produce it in Thailand in all other processes. I tasted black sugar and distilled liquor named "Rojana" also...not too bad either.

  In stead of just displaying canned or bottled foods, raw mango, an attractive way of introduction of Thai foods is to be expectantly thought out indeed...putting a focus on an appealing point together with, hopefully, introduction of some surprising new goods. I look forward to visiting FOODEX 2010 and Thai booth again with an expectation as such.

  There should be a bunch of ideas and food material. No doubt Thailand is "Kitchen of the World".

（March 11th, 2009）