Israel eyes turning Thailand into ‘Kitchen of the World’ with its food technology
Israel is seeking to use its advanced food technology in its partnership with Thailand to make global food supplies sustainable and help turn the Kingdom into the “Kitchen of the World”.
The Embassy of Israel recently hosted an impressive foodtech roadshow named “Savour the Future of Food” at Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok. The event drew hundreds of participants from both public and private sectors related to alternative food fields such as cultivated meat, plant-based products as well as sugar reduction and cutting-edge fermentation technologies.
Among the participants was Thailand’s renowned chef, ML Sirichalerm Svasti better known as McDang.
Featuring 14 leading Israeli start-ups, this was the largest-ever foodtech roadshow held outside Israel.
The main attractions of the event were discussions and demonstrations of “future foods” like lab-grown meat, dairy alternatives produced without requiring cows, and honey created without the need for bees.
“This event is a significant milestone in the Israeli-Thai partnership, particularly in shaping the future landscape of the food industry,” Israel Ambassador Orna Sagiv said.
“By converging the strengths of our countries – Israel, a hub of innovative foodtech startups, and Thailand, a powerhouse in the food industry – we are positioned to initiate a revolution within the global foodtech sector,” she said, adding that “Thailand has the potential to be Kitchen of the World”
Tomer Shpilman, chief of Israel’s Economic and Trade Mission, commended the enthusiastic participation of delegates and their willingness to question the established norms.
“We stand on the edge of a pivotal moment in history, and we take great pride in our role within this global endeavour to safeguard our planet by reshaping the future perspectives on food for generations to come,” he said.
From a Thai business perspective, Santi Abakaz, CEO of Thai food innovation company Tastebud Lab, said Thailand would benefit from forging alliances with other nations to facilitate collaboration in terms of investment and exchange of innovation and expertise.
Thailand needs to strengthen its position as the world’s kitchen in terms of food safety, he said.
Santi also called for increased efforts in raising consumer awareness on sustainability and food technology through more initiatives within Thailand.
As per data from the embassy, Israel has emerged as the second-largest destination for investment in alternative proteins since 2020, capturing approximately 10% of global investments, totalling an impressive US$1.2 billion (42.93 billion baht).
