Thailand Bets on Food Power to Strengthen Global Trade Position
THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 opens in Bangkok with 3,590 exhibitors from 56 countries, targeting THB 130 billion in trade as Thailand pushes to crack the world's top 10 food exporters
- Thailand is leveraging its status as a major food supplier to gain strategic leverage and negotiating power in international trade.
- A key national goal is to elevate the country's ranking from the 15th largest food exporter into the global top 10.
- The strategy involves transitioning from the "Kitchen of the World" to a "future food hub" by focusing on innovation, sustainability, and high-value products like alternative proteins.
- The massive THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 trade exhibition is a central part of this effort, designed to showcase Thai competitiveness and generate over THB 130 billion in trade value.
THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 opens in Bangkok with 3,590 exhibitors from 56 countries, targeting THB 130 billion in trade as Thailand pushes to crack the world's top 10 food exporters.
Thailand is leveraging its status as a global food supplier to bolster its negotiating power in international trade, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Wednesday, as Asia's largest food and beverage trade exhibition got under way in Bangkok.
Speaking at the opening of THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA 2026 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Anutin framed Thailand's agricultural prowess not merely as an economic asset but as a strategic instrument — one that gives the country a footing to negotiate from a position of strength rather than disadvantage in an increasingly complex global landscape.
"Food is one of Thailand's key strengths. In the current state of the world, countries that can produce food to feed the world have real leverage," Anutin said, adding that Thailand must convert this advantage into tangible benefits across its international partnerships.
The prime minister stressed that Thailand is moving beyond its long-held identity as the "Kitchen of the World" towards becoming a future food hub that marries innovation, sustainability, and health — underpinned by advances in smart agriculture, biotechnology, functional foods, alternative proteins, and digital transformation, all aligned with the government's Bio-Circular-Green Economy model.
The urgency behind that ambition is not lost on trade officials. Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion, noted that the food industry is navigating a period of significant disruption, with rising input costs, shifting sourcing strategies, and tightening food safety and traceability requirements that are increasingly becoming hard conditions of market access rather than optional standards.
Against that backdrop, she positioned this year's exhibition not simply as a product showcase but as a critical mechanism for demonstrating the competitiveness of Thai producers on the world stage — and for driving export growth at a moment when global trade dynamics are rapidly evolving.
That export ambition has a precise target. Dr Kitsana Vachekrilas, vice-chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the organisation is pushing to elevate Thailand from its current ranking of 15th among the world's food exporters into the global top ten.
More than 1,300 Thai companies are exhibiting across over 3,500 booths, spanning product categories that reflect both current consumer demand and longer-term market trends.
"THAIFEX–ANUGA ASIA is a platform where producers can present products that directly align with global trends," Dr Kitsana said, highlighting processed foods, plant-based products, functional foods, probiotics, Thai herbs, and sustainability-focused lines such as zero-waste packaging and organic-certified goods as areas of particular opportunity.
The scale of this year's exhibition underscores the ambition. Spanning more than 140,000 square metres across all 12 halls at IMPACT — the largest footprint in the event's history — the show features 3,590 exhibiting companies across 6,710 booths from 56 countries.
Buyers from more than 130 countries are expected to attend, with projected trade value exceeding THB 130 billion. Thailand's food exports recorded a value of more than THB 1.254 trillion in 2025.
A new addition this year, IMPACT Forum Hall 4, is designed as a dedicated destination for buyers seeking newly launched products and emerging brands not yet in mainstream distribution — reflecting a broader push to connect innovative Thai producers with global retail and wholesale networks.
Matthias Küpper, managing director and president for Asia-Pacific at Koelnmesse, said this year's edition places particular emphasis on innovation, sustainable supply chains, AI-driven food production, and the future of retail.
The exhibition is jointly organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and Koelnmesse, which ranks THAIFEX as the world's fourth-largest food and beverage trade show.
Trade days run from 26 to 29 May, with a public day open to general visitors on 30 May.
