Sustainable "From Farm to Plate": Revolutionizing the Global Food Chain with the Power of Thai Startups

Amidst global challenges in food security and sustainability, the panel discussion "FROM FARM TO PLATE: INNOVATION SNAPSHOT" was held as part of the SX TALK STAGE at SUSTAINABILITY EXPO (SX2025), ASEAN's largest sustainability exposition. This gathering of leaders and innovators aimed to inspire, drive progress, and spark tangible action.

The panelists, a group of prominent startups, shared their concepts and roles as crucial pieces of the puzzle supporting the entire supply chain ecosystem. They focused on transforming agriculture and consumption towards sustainability, from utilizing smart data to converting waste into high-value products.

Listenfield: Empowering Smallholder Farmers with Precision Data

Dr. Rosarin Shin Sothitheeranan (Dr. Noon), CEO and Co-founder of Listenfield Thailand, presented their Farm Analytics Solution, which connects farmers with food and agricultural companies "from soil until harvest." Dr. Rosarin emphasized the importance of using data to help farmers optimize fertilizer use, seed production, and increase yields—a key factor in adopting Regenerative Agriculture, especially for smallholder farmers in Northeastern Thailand.

Listenfield's technology not only enhances production management but can also predict flood risks by analyzing historical data. This allows food companies to understand what percentage of cultivation area will be affected and how much yields will decrease based on risks from El Niño or La Niña conditions. Listenfield's strategy is to first work with large food and agricultural companies to prove results and refine the technology before scaling to the majority of Thailand's smallholder farmers. Making the supply chain predictable and stable also helps reduce price volatility.

Hillkoff / Hof Coffee: Transforming Coffee Waste into Health Products

Khun Narumon Thaksudom, Managing Director of Hillkoff (also known as Hof Coffee/He Cop), the successor to a nearly 50-year-old coffee business, shared her journey of finding value in what the market once overlooked: coffee fruit and cascara. This pulp is normally discarded as waste, causing water and air pollution.

Khun Narumon stated that on the important occasion of International Coffee Day, Hof Coffee launched a key innovation after more than 10 years of study. They transformed natural coffee fruit into a Nutraceutical product called Coffoggenic Springs. Having undergone clinical research and received Thai FDA approval, it is proven to significantly reduce LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (good cholesterol), helping to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs) stemming from urban lifestyles. Furthermore, utilizing the coffee fruit also reduces carbon emissions from waste disposal.

Nano Onions: Seaweed Straws for Fishing Communities

Khun Satawoot Karaked, Co-founder and CEO of Nano Onions, Thailand's first innovator in seaweed-based biomaterials, presented the Rywave Straw. This straw is made from seaweed biopolymers (Celatus or Rigid) and is both Home Compostable and Marine degradable (decomposing in the sea within six months).

Nano Onions fosters community sustainability by investing in seaweed farming in coastal areas and buying back the harvest from fishers at a fair price. This provides fishers and community enterprise members with an additional income of at least 100,000 THB per year per household. Khun Satawoot views the company's core technology as its resin, a platform that can be used to produce other alternatives to single-use plastics, such as plates and cutlery. Manufacturers can switch to Nano Onions' resin immediately without investing in new machinery. The short-term goal is to replace at least 24 million straws by the end of next year.

Warich Foods / Bish Food: From Discarded Bananas to the Global Market

Khun Thanan Thanathawee, President of Warich Foods (founder of Bish Food or One Eat Foods), highlighted the plight of banana farmers in Pathum Thani, where 30% of bananas are discarded due to minor blemishes ("ugly peel") and a short 7-day shelf life.

Bish Food spent over two years on R&D to transform ripe (yellow) bananas destined to be waste into a fluffy, crispy snack called Banana Pop. It has achieved significant success in international markets, especially Korea, Japan, and the USA, and is set to launch in 7-Eleven stores in Thailand next month. Khun Thanat stated the most crucial aspect is "helping farmers survive." For instance, when banana prices plummeted, the company endeavored to purchase them at a higher price. They also expanded to buy other surplus agricultural products, such as mangoes, to create new innovative products like Protein Puff Mango Flavor.

Reflections from the Startups: What is Needed for Sustainable Impact

At the conclusion of the discussion, all entrepreneurs emphasized the critical support needed to realize their sustainability vision:

• Khun Satawoot (Nano Onions) called on the government for stricter regulations to provide benefits to those who genuinely use eco-friendly products, and to educate consumers about bioproducts, as many products currently claiming to be "Eco" may not be entirely environmentally friendly.

• Khun Narumon (Hof Coffee) wishes for industry players to collaborate in promoting and consuming new coffee flavors derived from coffee by-products.

• Dr. Rosarin (Listenfield) pointed out that funding is crucial, especially from Impact Investors who understand that impact-driven companies cannot generate profits quickly. She also needs support from large corporate clients willing to pilot the startup's products and services in the early stages.

As leaders in the supply chain, the panelists are well aware that while Thailand's agriculture and food sector employs 30% of the population, it generates less than 10% of the national GDP. This signifies an immense opportunity to create a positive impact on a large segment of the country's communities.