Organic products firm plans rapid expansion
SUAN NGUEN MEE MA CO, an organic products trading firm, plans to open seven more Organic Stations in Bangkok and other provinces over the next six months in a bid to increase its trading value by 10 times by 2017.
Jukkrit Poolsavatkitigool, the green market network co-ordinator at the company, said a lot of consumers were concerned about their health and had begun seeking organic products although they had to pay between 30-100 per cent higher prices than for non-organic products. He said many small independent farmers were interested in entering the organic market but most did not have knowledge in the area.
“The company [Suan Nguen Mee Ma] has initiated a business models called Community Support Agricultural [CSA] and Participatory Guaranty System [PGS] to help small independent farmers enter the organic market efficiently. We work with farmers by providing them agricultural knowledge, building marketing networks and logistic systems, and help them open organic shops under the brand Organic Station,” he said.
As the middleman firm, Suan Nguen Mee Ma handles the purchasing of the products and provides deliveries between farmers and shops. A distribution centre was established in Ram-Indra, Bangkok, and two shops are operating in Ram-Indra and Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. Another shop opened in Mae Klong district in Samut Songkhram province.
The company expects to open seven more shops over the next six months in areas such as Thong Lor, Sampeng 2, and Deves.
“From rapid expansion, I hope that sales of organic products through the company will increase from an expected Bt500,000 this year to Bt5 million by next year – an increase by ten times,” he said
Over the past three years, the company said it had built networks with 142 farmers in seven provinces – Chantaburi, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sing Buri, Tak, Saraburi, and Nakhon Pathom. Some of them have received CSA and PGS certifications, meaning they can supply organic products to Organic Stations.
Nipon Bangseang, who has been producing and supplying coconut oil and coconut syrup for big food companies for many decades, said that most of his products were exported, mainly to Japan. He earns Bt80,000 per month.
He expects that his small family-run factory in his house in Samut Songkhram will soon be able to supply organic products to Organic Stations in Bangkok and elsewhere after working with Suan Nguen Mee Ma.
