Thai firm seeks distributors for canned juice
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - A Thai beverage manufacturer is seeking local distributors to market its canned date fruit juice in the sultanate.
I Foods and Beverage Co Ltd Managing Director Manop Marnnoi, said the six-month old company is keen to export its flagship brand - iBEV date juice - to Brunei.
He said the juice has been certified halal by the Central Islamic Committee of Thailand. He cited the health benefits of consuming dates which had been recommended by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
“The Quran has mentioned about the health benefits of dates. That’s why we are positive that there are markets in Brunei,” he told The Brunei Times.
Manop said the juice has high levels of potassium which can reduce stroke risk by 40 per cent.
“Dates contain multiple nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Its sweetness takes the edge off hunger,” he said, noting this is also the reason why you eat dates after you break your fast during Ramadhan.
Manop said it took the company two years to develop iBEV in a food testing laboratory in Saudi Arabia.
Apart from being halal, he said iBEV’s manufacturing process complies with Thailand’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards. It has also gone through the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) assessment in Thailand.
Manop, who was in the sultanate recently to join the Brunei International Trade and Consumer exhibition, has met several potential distributors during the expo.
“I have met a number of people here in Brunei who are interested to buy and sell our products. We are still in the negotiation process. Hopefully, customers in Brunei will get to buy our products within this year,” he said.
