Mindhara cosmetics add value to Thai rice

Having worked previously for telecommunication companies for 15 years, he was inspired to find ways to add value to farmers’ output, while starting his own business. A relative then introduced him to Associate Professor Ranee Surakankul, an expert in herbal and food sciences, who helped develop products that contain the antioxidant oryzanol – a component of rice bran oil. 
Mindhara products are entirely composed of ingredients from Thai herbs, such as peppermint, which kills bacteria and lengthens product life, tamarind that naturally cleans skin, and peptide from banana that replaces the bubble-making chemicals used in facial foams.
“We apply food technology in the production process. The result is that our products are 100 per cent chemical-free,” Parisdon said.
With a degree in computer science, Parisdon knew nothing about the cosmetics business, but he was determined to learn. First, he learned from Ranee the values of rice and each herb selected, and the knowledge helped him win the Food and Drug Administration’s approval. Second, he learned from others. 
Mindhara was first branded as “Dr Rice”, available online and at fairs. As the products were based on Thai rice, the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives invited him to join a rice fair, which introduced him to officials at the Rice Department. 
Displayed at the Rice Pavilion, part of Thailand Rice Convention, the products attracted a British buyer who placed the first order worth Bt200,000 and offered some suggestions on packaging. 
Parisdon realised he needed a new brand that appealed to target customers, women between the ages of 20 and 35, as well as new packages. He joined a design fair at the Thailand Creative and Design Centre and asked for help. 
A survey on packaging preferences was conducted while he was selling products at a special shop in Government House. An outsider then was brought in for six months to build the brand concept and design a new logo that contained the natural colours of each ingredient. 
Consultation with a scent-therapy expert is under way for the development of new products.
“I was confident that our products were good, but our image was not quite convincing. We needed a brand-building strategy. That was the new homework. It was worthwhile. A buyer from Chile just asked for samples, not requiring information on the functional values of the products.”
Mindhara products – facial cream, masks, foam and anti-hair-loss shampoo – are now available at All About You, a shop specialising in organic products, as well as via Central Online Shopping. Last year, revenue was Bt1.3 million. 
As Parisdon got serious about selling the products overseas, he attended a 10-day online training session held by the Commerce Ministry’s International Trade Promotion Department. His products are also available through Thaitrade.com, opening windows for overseas buyers. He joined a fair in Vietnam, setting his sights on aggressively introducing his products there next year with help from a Vietnamese distributor.
What worries him now is how to meet increasing demand. Mindhara is now produced on a laboratory scale. New production runs when inventory is down to 20 per cent.
“I learn new things every day, bit by bit. Along the way, we fix what we see as problems, to reach our final goal,” he said. “I won’t imitate others’ products, as I value the efforts spent on developing such products.
“In less than two years in this business, I have learned more than I did in the previous 15 years. The search for information is endless. 
“There is only one way to go. During the [While following that] course, you will find friends who can refer you to others. [Doing this business] is like climbing a ladder. I have climbed the first ladder and my final goal is to turn Mindhara into recognised Thai products on the global stage.”