When the Moderntrade Becomes a Classroom

As Thailand navigates an era of transformation, bridging social inequalities, improving child nutrition in underserved areas, and reinforcing food security amidst the backdrop of climate volatility and global economic shifts to the concept of “sustainability” can no longer remain a theoretical goal found only in strategic reports.

It must take shape in tangible, measurable actions.

And more importantly, it must start at the community level, where impact is most deeply felt.

While traditional classrooms remain the foundation of learning, one often overlooked space holds tremendous potential: the community classroom. And that is precisely the focus of CP Axtra’s initiative, “Learning Beyond the Classroom”, a standout case study in how a leading wholesale-retail business can redefine its role in society.

By transforming its retail branches of Makro and Lotus’s into living learning spaces, CP AXTRA is giving a rare opportunity: to step inside the food system and understand it from the ground up.

This is more than just nutrition education.

It is a hands-on journey into the food value chain, and its connection to health, livelihoods, and national development.

When a Modern Trade Store Becomes a Classroom:

Students Learn the Real Life Cycle of Food

At the heart of the initiative are four experiential learning stations: bakery, fruits, vegetables, and meats hosted inside actual CP Axtra retail locations.

This is not a passive field trip.

Children are encouraged to explore, touch, compare, and ask. They learn how to select fresh produce, identify safe meat, evaluate food quality, understand cold-chain storage, and observe how goods are safely transported to the shelf.

For many students, it is the first time they’ve seen the behind-the-scenes process that brings food to their plates.

And for some, it becomes a moment that permanently reshapes their understanding of what they eat and why it matters.

Seeing the full food system in action helps instill a mindset of responsible consumption, a foundation that supports broader learning around nutrition, agricultural supply chains, food management, and sustainable living.

From Giving to Empowering:

CP AXTRA’s Shift from Donation to Knowledge-Building

This initiative builds on CP AXTRA’s long-running program, which has delivered over 3 million safe, nutritious lunches to students nationwide over the past eight years.

But numbers alone don’t capture the full story. The company is moving from being a provider to being an enabler from donation to education, from distribution to empowerment.

Because in today’s world, access to food is not enough.

Children need the knowledge and skills to choose, understand, and value what they eat.

This marks a pivotal shift not only in scale but in philosophy:
Transforming food from a basic need into a tool for learning and long-term well-being.

Redefining Sustainability: Simple, Yet Profound

While ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) has become a global framework adopted by companies worldwide, true sustainability only happens when principles translate into everyday actions and when those actions connect directly with people.

“Learning Beyond the Classroom” is a relatively small initiative in size, but strategically powerful. It leverages the company’s core strengths of its food supply infrastructure, its branch network, and its community footprint to create a scalable platform for learning.

This is not just logistics. It’s not just sales. It’s about human development on building future citizens who understand the value of food, not just its price.