Product development strategy

Vision

“The heart of happiness lies in deliciousness. A global leader in food innovation for consumers worldwide.”

Mission

• To develop innovative products without boundaries.
• To achieve world-class manufacturing standards while remaining environmentally friendly.
• To foster happiness and engagement within the organization.
• To adapt to change and continuously improve for sustainable growth.
• To be a trustworthy organization guided by good corporate governance and sustainable development principles.

Business Objective

To be a leader in food innovation by developing a diverse range of high-quality new products, becoming one of the first choices consumers think of and remember as “The Happy Taste Creator.”

3E Corporate Strategy

1) Engagement
Build strong customer relationships to their full potential and expand joint product and service development to achieve sustainable growth together. Emphasize long-term joint business planning; for example, hot sandwiches co-developed with key customers, delivering more than 1.2 million delicious experiences to consumers each day.

2) Expansion
Create value for Thailand’s food industry and progress toward becoming a sustainable food manufacturer for the world. Expand into international markets through multiple sales channels by exporting a diverse range of processed products, including Thai desserts in retort formats, ready-to-eat retort rice bars, snacks, flavored crispy rolls, beverages, coconut water, and coconut milk products.

3) Exponential Growth
Drive growth on the foundation of an innovation-led organization by advancing product research and development through food science and modern production technologies. Respond to evolving consumer needs by delivering new product and service options, including health-oriented products, Food Solutions, and Food Services that address customer requirements, create added value, strengthen customers’ and partners’ market competitiveness, and generate new outcomes for Thailand’s food industry.

What NSL Means by “Health-Conscious Products”

• Manage nutrients that should be limited, such as sugar, fat, and sodium, at levels appropriate to the product category and serving size.
• Enhance nutritional value by considering protein, dietary fiber, grains, vegetables, or other beneficial ingredients as appropriate to each product.
• Design portion size and energy content appropriately to support balanced consumption while maintaining taste, convenience, and a positive consumer experience.
• Ensure product safety and communicate responsibly through accurate and transparent nutrition information and claims that comply with applicable laws and standards.

Support for the Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 2: Zero Hunger — End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
2.1 End hunger and ensure that everyone, especially people who are poor or in vulnerable situations, including infants, has access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being — Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
3.c Increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training, and retention of the health workforce in developing countries.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production — Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
12.1 Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, with all countries taking action and developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries.

Impacts, Risks and Opportunities

1) Health-Conscious Products
Changing health and consumption trends are leading consumers to place greater emphasis on quality, safety, nutritional value, and transparency of product information. Demand is also growing for foods that address specific health needs, such as low-energy foods, high-protein or high-fiber foods, plant-based foods, and products for vulnerable groups, including young children, older persons, persons with disabilities, and people with chronic illnesses.

For NSL Foods, these changes represent both business risks and opportunities that may affect customer confidence, brand image, and competitiveness. The Company therefore takes a comprehensive approach to product development, from raw material selection and formulation design to production process control, quality and safety verification, and accurate, clear, and compliant labeling and nutrition information.

At the same time, the health-oriented consumption trend is an important opportunity to build on NSL Foods’ research and development capabilities and create products with greater nutritional value that respond to more diverse consumer needs. This broadens consumer choice, improves access to safe and health-appropriate food, and supports the well-being of consumers and society, while creating opportunities to expand the customer base, grow the health-product market, and strengthen long-term business growth.

2) Products Promoting Thai Identity
The growing popularity of Thai food and products that reflect local culture creates an important opportunity to transform Thai ingredients, flavors, culinary wisdom, and food identity into contemporary, convenient products that can reach wider consumer groups in both domestic and international markets.

Product development must, however, preserve identity and quality alongside safety standards, consistency of raw materials, cost considerations, and commercial manufacturability. Failure to maintain authentic taste, quality, or Thai character could reduce product differentiation and credibility.

For NSL Foods, this is an opportunity to leverage its food innovation and R&D capabilities to add value to Thai food and ingredients, create new products that reflect national identity, support domestic raw materials and producers, expand the customer base, and strengthen the competitiveness of Thai food products in international markets.

Operating Approach

NSL Foods is committed to developing products that are safe, nutritionally valuable, and responsive to consumers’ health needs. The Company places importance on every stage, from raw material selection and formulation to production and accurate, transparent labeling.

The Company promotes the research and development of alternative products that help reduce sugar, fat, and sodium while increasing value from protein, dietary fiber, grains, and vegetables. It also continually monitors nutrition and food-innovation trends to provide suitable choices for different consumer groups.

In addition, NSL Foods applies quality control, verifies nutrition information, listens to consumer feedback, and continuously uses the results to improve products and plans, supporting consumer well-being and sustainable business growth.

Strategy for Promoting Health-Conscious Product Development

Products and Services

• Expand the variety of health-oriented and alternative products across bakery, ready-to-eat foods, snacks, and Food Service offerings.
• Conduct joint R&D on formulations with partners/customers, focusing on reducing sugar, fat, and sodium to appropriate levels while maintaining product taste and quality.
• Enhance nutritional value through ingredients such as protein, dietary fiber, grains, vegetables, and plant-based ingredients.
• Develop products for specific consumer groups, such as people managing their weight, older adults, and consumers seeking plant-based or health-oriented foods.
• Select high-quality, safe raw materials and consider ingredients from responsible, standards-compliant sources.
• Control product quality and food safety throughout the process, while providing accurate, transparent, and easy-to-understand labels and nutrition information.
• Develop convenient product formats and access channels so consumers can more easily choose foods suited to their lifestyles and health needs.
• Collaborate on product R&D with research organizations, academic institutions, partners, and customers to apply knowledge, technology, and market needs to commercially viable health-food innovations.

Example of Health-Conscious Product Development: Labb Chicken Breast & Perilla Seed Rice Bar

NSL showcases Thai high-protein rice innovation, “KHOW THANG: The Next-Gen High-Protein Rice Bar (Labb Flavour),” selected as a finalist for the THAIFEX – Taste Innovation Show 2026. NSL developed a ready-to-eat, high-protein rice bar combining chicken breast with “perilla seeds,” a Thai superfood, and fortified with BCAAs and L-Carnitine to provide energy and appeal to health-conscious consumers. The distinctive Labb flavor reinterprets Thai culinary identity in a modern form that is tasty, convenient, portable, and delivers well-rounded nutritional value in one product.

Strategy for Promoting Thai Identity Products (NSL Soft Power to Thai Taste Horizon)

1) Rationale

Thailand has a strong advantage in “Thai Food,” one of the 11 dimensions of the government’s Soft Power strategy aimed at promoting Thai culture globally, creating greater economic value, and enhancing the country’s image.

NSL Foods is one of the food innovators bringing Thai cuisine to consumers in new formats, such as frozen mango sticky rice, frozen basil rice, and processed Thai desserts, using modern production technologies and international quality standards. This aligns with the policy to promote Thai Food Soft Power through “Innovation x Tradition.” Under the concept “NSL Soft Power to Thai Taste Horizon,” the Company aims to shape the image of “modern Thai food” as delicious, safe, and convenient, using NSL innovation as a key mechanism to build pride and sustainably expand Thai food onto the global stage.

2) Business Opportunities for Thai Desserts in Global Markets

In 2025, Thailand’s exports were valued at approximately USD 339.6 billion, or THB 11.14 trillion, an increase of 12.9% from the previous year, reflecting the competitiveness and international market potential of Thai products.

Within the agro-industrial product category, which includes processed foods, confectionery, bakery products, and ready-to-eat foods, Thailand’s 2025 exports were valued at approximately USD 24.38 billion, up 4.1%. Wheat products and other prepared foods accounted for approximately USD 3.16 billion, ranking third among agro-industrial products and representing 12.94% of the category’s export value.

This trend creates an opportunity for NSL Foods to build on its expertise in bakery, confectionery, ready-to-eat foods, and food innovation, particularly by developing products that combine Thai food identity (NSL Soft Power to Thai Taste Horizon), convenience, nutritional value, and international safety standards, thereby expanding opportunities in overseas markets.

3) Objectives

Build a new image of Thai food as world-class innovative food, while leveraging Food Soft Power to generate income and opportunities for Thailand. Position NSL’s food innovations as ambassadors of Thai cuisine internationally by connecting “Thai food culture” with “processing technology” to meet the needs of modern consumers.

4) Target Audiences

• Young Thai consumers interested in convenient, health-conscious foods.
• International consumers who enjoy Thai flavors but seek greater convenience.
• Restaurants, hotels, and food-service businesses seeking high-quality ready-to-use Thai menu solutions.
• Investors and business partners interested in importing/distributing innovative Thai food products.

5) Key Project Activities

1. Thai Taste Innovation Showcase

• Showcase NSL’s Thai food innovations at trade fairs (e.g., THAIFEX, Anuga) and through roadshows in target countries.
• Demonstrate the use of NSL products in contemporary Thai dishes.

2. Communicating Thai Food Culture through Digital Media

• Produce videos presenting innovative Thai dishes together with the story and heritage behind each menu.
• Promote content through YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and NSL’s platforms.

3. Thailand Ready to Eat Lab

• Organize workshops or collaborations with renowned chefs, food researchers, and international chefs to develop new menu items using NSL products.
• Give young people and vocational culinary students opportunities to create new dishes using NSL products.

6) Expected Outcomes

• Elevate recognition of Thai food in formats that are convenient, modern, innovative, and still retain the distinctive identity of Thai flavors.
• Strengthen Thailand’s image and Soft Power potential, particularly in the area of food culture.
• Increase opportunities to develop and expand innovative Thai food products into international markets.
• Encourage younger generations to appreciate, be inspired by, and participate in preserving, extending, and creatively developing Thai food culture sustainably.

Thai Identity Product (Thai Soft Power): KHOW THANG Rice Bar by NSL Foods

KHOW THANG rice bars are an example of transforming domestic resources into commercial products that reflect Thai identity by combining creativity and local wisdom with Thailand’s Soft Power concept. The product uses Thai rice as its primary ingredient and is developed into rice bars with flavors and fillings that represent the diversity of Thai cuisine, such as mango sticky rice, durian sticky rice, and Som Tam Thai. Beyond promoting Thai values and identity on the global stage, the product also adds value to Thai rice and supports local economies in a sustainable manner.

Awards and Recognition

Product Development for Sustainable Health and Well-Being

Prime Minister’s Export Award 2025 – Outstanding Exporter

First Runner-Up, 2024 Outstanding Innovation Award – Economic Category

First Runner-Up, Thai Rice Innovation Award 2024 – Industrial Category

The recognition reinforces NSL’s position as an innovation-driven organization, developing ready-to-eat foods from plated dishes into convenient, easy-to-eat, satisfying bar formats suited to modern lifestyles.

“Comprehensive Guidelines for Wellness Product Development”