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BrandThink Interview: Power of Thai Amaranth

It’s not just about baked spinach with cheese from REO's Deli that you see in 7-Eleven. It’s about how we are becoming a new superfood platform — born from the vision to empower Thai agriculture and create sustainable opportunities for the future.

And most importantly — it’s a value chain that brings together Thai farmers, communities, brands, and the environment in a truly circular and sustainable way .

Discover how a simple local leaf is becoming a future Thai superfood  — and why this movement is just getting started.

Read the full story below!

🇺🇸 English Version <---

ภาพ: ภรัณยู วรรณศรีพิศุทธิ์















































(English Ver.) Local Leaves, Global Leap: How 'Thai Amaranth' Is Taking Thai Spinach to the World From spinach with cheese to a Thai-born superfood platform


Many people are likely familiar with the spinach with cheese dish sold in 7-Eleven stores across Thailand—a popular ready-to-eat menu from the Reo’s Deli brand that has become a favorite for many.

But behind this seemingly ordinary dish lies a story of effort, vision, and sustainable problem-solving. It became the starting point of ‘Thai Amaranth’, a platform with the ambition to elevate Thai spinach into a true superfood and a proud Thai export product. The belief driving this initiative is that Thai spinach holds immense potential—nutritionally, environmentally, and commercially on the global stage.

Thai Amaranth is more than just a powdered vegetable—it’s a co-creation platform that brings together producers, farmers, and global food brands to develop new products using Thai spinach powder as a core ingredient. From desserts and baked goods to superfoods, health drinks, and even craft beer, the possibilities are wide-ranging.

The initiative is made possible through a close partnership with Siam Forestry Co., Ltd., a key collaborator in developing Thai Amaranth growing areas in Kanchanaburi Province. These areas have been specifically designed to support sustainable agriculture and specialized crop research. Thanks to Siam Forestry’s support, the project can ensure full quality control from the source, operate a stable contract farming system, and plan sustainable industrial-scale production.

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Khun Chana Vasuvat, CEO of Value Sourcing Co., Ltd. and the driving force behind the REO’s Deli brand, shared that when they first developed their spinach with cheese dish, the team still had to import spinach from China. Although the taste was good, the imported produce often came with uncontrollable contamination issues. “We used Chinese spinach for over ten years, constantly talking with the Chinese factories, but they didn’t want to adapt. We only used about 2 tons a month, while they were producing 100 tons a day.”


This issue wasn’t just about ingredients — it became a turning point for VSC (Value Sourcing Co., Ltd.) to consider cultivating spinach locally in Thailand, where they could control quality and scale production in the long term.

“Our concept is to develop from upstream to downstream. We want to control the entire value chain. We’ve spent six years trialing spinach farming in Thailand, inviting people to experiment and continually improving the process.”


What started as a simple solution to contamination grew into something more — the birth of Thai Amaranth.


Reo (Chana): “We met a key partner — SCGP from SCG Packaging — whose plant-based trays we use for packaging. Their factory introduced us to Siam Forestry, a company under the SCGP group that cultivates eucalyptus across more than 100,000 rai nationwide. I proposed an idea to them: while waiting for eucalyptus to mature, why not grow spinach with us? It’s fast — only a month to harvest — and they were interested.”


A year later, Siam Forestry began working with local farmers around Kanchanaburi to grow spinach. VSC bought it at 15 baht per kilogram, with yields of around 1 ton per rai, ready in less than a month. Farmers were enthusiastic. But with a sudden surge in supply, Chana realized they needed to grow demand just as quickly — and that’s how Thai Amaranth was born.


What is Thai Amaranth to you?


Reo (Chana): "Thai Amaranth is a platform that brings together Thai and international businesses to co-create new products made from Thai spinach powder. My goal is to develop innovative products for our country."


"Thailand has excellent geography and a strong foundation, but most of our agricultural exports are still focused on rice and rubber. While those are important, I believe we also need to develop new products that meet the demands of the global market. That’s why we created Thai spinach-based functional foods — and maybe, if it gains enough popularity, it could become a recognized superfood. Something that complements or even replaces existing ingredients. Our goal is to build a product that represents Thailand — not just for myself, but for the whole country.”



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What are the key features of the Thai Amaranth used in your products?


Kam: "Actually, the idea for spinach powder didn’t start from anything trendy. It came from our effort to help farmers expand their markets. Initially, we produced frozen spinach, but the storage cost was 1.50 THB per kilogram per month, which was quite heavy."


"So, we tried turning it into powdered spinach instead—it’s easier to store and also opens the door to co-develop products with partners who specialize in different areas.

The highlight of Thai Amaranth powder is its significantly higher nutritional value compared to regular spinach. When we sent it for testing based on Thai RDI standards, we found it contains up to 27 grams of protein per 100 grams."


"It also contains fiber, calcium, potassium, and vitamin A at levels higher than typical standards.

Most importantly, it has no unpleasant green smell or bitterness. When we mixed it with milk during testing, it gave a flavor similar to matcha. It’s easier to use and fits perfectly with clean label requirements.

So it’s a great functional green color alternative for brands looking for quality and nutritional value—perfect for those wanting to reduce matcha use while still keeping a similar feel."

  How does contract farming benefit the farmers?


Kam: "We understand how unpredictable pricing can be for farmers, so we wanted to help by offering a fixed purchasing price of 15 THB per kilogram, giving them better planning stability.

Many of the farmers used to grow eucalyptus, which takes a long time to harvest. We proposed Thai Amaranth, which can be harvested in just 25 days, allowing for faster cash flow. Some households have already started pilot farming."


"The average income per rai per cycle is around 15,000 THB, with an investment of about 4,000 THB. One household can manage up to 4 rai of farmland.

We’re not claiming to be doing something massive—we just want to make this initiative real, sustainable, and beneficial to local communities and farmers."


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We heard you're also focused on a Zero-Waste Process?


Kam: "Yes, absolutely. We’ve designed Thai Amaranth to operate within a true Circular Economy system. For example, in our “Spinach with Cheese” dish, we use biodegradable packaging that decomposes within 60 days. After decomposition, the material is used to enrich the soil.


That soil is then reused to grow the next crop of Thai Amaranth in collaboration with Siam Forestry in Kanchanaburi—creating a full circle from farm to table and back to farm again."


Can you tell us more about the co-branding partners and how they got involved?


Kam: "We have a very clear goal: to push Thai Amaranth into becoming a globally recognized superfood that Thailand can proudly export and use to create international value. So we started by seeking out partners who shared the same vision—those who see the potential in Thai ingredients and want to co-develop products that generate positive impact for consumers, farmers, and the country’s image as a whole."


"We’re now in the process of signing MOUs with several partners, each with their own unique strengths. We’re genuinely excited and grateful that these brands are open to incorporating Thai Amaranth into their product formulas in such creative ways."


"We’ve already seen a variety of exciting products in development—from craft beer, spinach tea capsules (with a matcha-like taste, brewed via espresso machines), to congee for the elderly, Taokaenoi seaweed snacks, ice cream, and various types of snacks."


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What’s the craft beer made from spinach powder like?


Kam: "This beer was developed by Romyen Pensook Brewery Co., Ltd. What’s interesting is that, typically in small-scale brewing, you need to use hops, but we discovered that Thai spinach powder can substitute hops, which are usually a required component in beer production under Thai law. This helps reduce production costs."


"We also considered the consumer perspective—a beer that contains vegetables might be seen as a little healthier. We added fiber and used Thai rice as the base, making this beer 100% Thai-sourced, from the rice to the spinach powder."


How do you process spinach powder to make it suitable for various food applications?


Kam: "We produce multiple grades of spinach powder using Spray Dry and Drum Dry techniques, which are suitable for both beverages and foods. The powder doesn’t have a bitter taste or grassy smell, and most importantly, it can be used to replace artificial colorings like Copper Chlorophyllin."


"We also analyzed which parts of the spinach plant are most suitable for different product uses. For example, we’ve developed product mixes such as 100% leaf, leaf and stem, 100% stem, and even added carriers to improve solubility for beverage applications. Everything is designed to match the specific needs of each product being developed."


How does Thai Amaranth align with current health trends?


Kam: "From a basic nutrition standpoint, Thai Amaranth is already complete—it’s rich in protein, fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamin A, making it ideal for health-conscious consumers.

But we’re not stopping at the basics. For our next step, we’re planning to conduct deeper studies into its components, like antioxidants, to find out which compounds in this plant stand out, and whether there are any unique functional substances beneficial to health."


"Beyond just using the leaves and stems (which we currently process), we’re now exploring the seeds and flowers too—because really, the entire plant has potential. We want to know whether it could lead to novel food development or even specialized extracts."


"Simply put, Thai Amaranth isn’t just a “healthy vegetable”—we believe it could become a next-generation ingredient, used in functional foods and wellness products across the health industry."


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What are your future plans for collaborating with Thai entrepreneurs?


Kam: "Honestly, we want to collaborate with all types of entrepreneurs—from the food and beverage sectors to wellness product developers. Personally, I’ve always loved healthy food, and nowadays, many Thais are facing NCDs (Non-Communicable Diseases) due to dietary habits. So, we want to help improve Thai people’s health through accessible and enjoyable food."


"Take our brand Reo’s Deli, for example—another business unit of ours that sells spinach with cheese in 7-Eleven stores nationwide. Our goal was always to sneak more vegetables into people’s diets. This is something we’ve never shared before: in our spinach with cheese, customers are also eating onions, but we used to leave them whole."


"When some moms told us, “Could you blend the onions? My kid doesn’t eat them,” we changed the recipe right away. We understand that many kids dislike onions, and we just want them to get more nutritional benefits without resistance."


"This approach has always been our core philosophy—to help people eat more vegetables without feeling forced. That’s why the spinach we chose had to be non-bitter, easy to eat, and packed with nutritional value."


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How do you see the future of Thai superfoods?


Kam: "Superfoods aren’t just about nutritional value. What enables a crop to go far on the global stage is strong marketing and a reliable supply chain working together."


"We believe that if we can develop large-scale, sustainable farming, backed by solid backend systems for processing, exporting, and co-developing products with brands, Thai spinach absolutely has the potential to become one of the world’s leading superfoods."


"Right now, when people abroad think of Thai ingredients, they usually think of rice or coconut. But we hope that in the coming years, “Thai spinach” will become one of the new symbols of Thai agriculture—a delicious, healthy ingredient supported by a transparent, credible system. One day, the world might come to know it by the name Thai Amaranth as a recognized superfood."


Finally, why should people open their minds to Thai Amaranth?


Kam: "We’d love to invite everyone to get to know Thai Amaranth because we believe this plant holds tremendous untapped potential, with many more possibilities waiting to be discovered and developed—especially by Thai people working together."


"To us, Thai Amaranth isn’t just an ingredient—it’s the starting point for new innovations, for entrepreneurs, farmers, and consumers alike."


"Our platform aims to be a collaborative space, not just a supplier of ingredients. We have a team ready to help ideate, co-develop, and grow with any brand interested in making Thai Amaranth part of their new product journey."


"We may not have all the answers, but we’re truly happy to be the “small starting point” for anyone looking to take Thai food or Thai ingredients further."


Written by: Hataithorn Raengthong

Photography by: Paranyu Wannasripisut

 
 
 

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