Giving TUF the master touch
Thai Union Frozen Products (TUF) has tied up with a celebrity chef to offer premium, ready-to-eat authentic Thai dishes to consumers abroad.
Professional chef Rapeepan Luangaramrut, better known as Khun Reed, has provided the preparation techniques and ingredients for the dishes, which are branded My Siam by Khun Reed. The company started exporting the new range to the European Union earlier this year, with premium export prices of ¤2 to ¤2.50 (Bt95 to Bt118) per pack. The range so far consists of five dishes: green prawn curry, garlic and salted prawn, spicy basil shrimp, tom yum kung and sauteed salmon in chilli paste. President Thiraphong Chansiri said the new products were introduced to serve the rising demand for Thai food in the international market. He did not disclose the investment cost for the new range but said it was not a large amount, because the company had simply developed its existing processing lines. "Ready-to-eat food is a global trend, so the company must spend more on research and development to meet consumer demand," he said. The My Siam by Khun Reed range will be launched in the Thai market in the near future, with dishes tailored to suit local tastes. TUF already produces and markets various kinds of processed and ready-to-eat foods in the Thai market under the Eazy Go brand, as well as bakery products. T-Holding, the company's marketing arm, is in charge of managing the domestic market. The introduction of the My Siam by Khun Reed range is expected to help T-Holding achieve total sales of Bt1 billion this year. It has drawn up a five-year business plan that targets annual sales of Bt2 billion. My Siam by Khun Reed is TUF's second export brand after Select, its flagship brand launched several years ago and which is focused on canned tuna products. Thiraphong added that the company had already doubled its production lines for finished goods, bakery and ready-to-eat products. To ensure hygiene and good taste, the company has also formed strategic partnerships with not only major food-trading companies, but also leading restaurant brands the Minor Group, Venture Tech, MK Restaurant and Oishi.
Achara Pongvutitham The Nation
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