TUF looks to e-commerce platform

Rittirong Boonmechote, president of TUF’s Global Shrimp Business, said the company’s offerings would include fresh and processed seafood products, not just tuna and shrimp for which the company has a local production base. It will carry imported seafood products like crab and lobster, and other food products such as beef from local and overseas sources.
The company expects the seafood e-commerce business to earn Bt200 million in sales this year and one billion baht next year.
“We would like to become a ‘central kitchen’ for seafood,” he said.
Retail consumers or restaurants will be able to order food from the e-commerce website and the produce will be “cheaper and better” than what they can find in the stores, he said.
Among its primary target are 1,500 Japanese restaurants currently operating in the country.
“We want to become the first choice for consumers and restaurants who are looking for seafood As ‘a world seafood expert’, we will focus on quality not just the prices,” he said.
TUF will create a new brand for the e-commerce business that will help it to boost local sales revenue. According to the company’s annual report for 2015, the United States was the largest market last year, contributing to 44 per cent of the group’s total sales, followed by Europe (29%). The Thai market came third with just a 7 per cent contribution to the group’s revenue, which totalled Bt121.4 billion.
“We will grow the seafood market and enhance it into another level,” he said.