Fruit Ice Cream Exports Are Booming. Max Food Group Invests 200 Million Baht to Expand Its Factory and Increase Production Capacity,
Implementing new production innovations aiming at becoming a fully sustainable organization, recently launching a new product called a mini-sized watermelon sorbet, a world-first of its kind.
Mr. Thanapong Juiprasert, Managing Director of Max Food Group Co., Ltd., gave his account on the ice cream export trends and the popularity of Thai fruit ice cream in international markets that the Thai ice cream products were highly recognized and in high demand in international markets particularly Thai fruit ice cream products which offered delicious flavors, a wide variety and uniqueness, consequently resulting in Thailand to consistently retain its ranking position as the Number One ice cream exporter in Asia and the fourth largest in the world with an average annual value of USD.106 million (approximately 3.486 billion Baht) over the past five years (2020-2024), representing an average annual growth of 11%. Max Food Group had experienced continuous growth over just five years thus making the company today becoming Thailand’s ninth-largest ice cream manufacturer and exporter. Its main products were fruit sorbet, which accounted for up to 70% followed by mochi ice cream of 20% and fruit sorbet cups of 10%. Out of these, 99% were derived from international sales and just only 1% from domestic sales.
On the aspect of the production, Max Food Group has made significant progress by investing over 200 million Baht in the expansion and construction of a new factory, increasing its size from 2,000 square meters to 5,000 square meters. This would triple its potential efficiency and production capacity from 30,000 pieces per day to 90,000 pieces, or from 350 containers to 800 containers per year. New standards of ice cream products offering both distinctive flavors and textures being a distinctive strength and sought after by customers worldwide are also established for the company.
Max Food Group’s new factory is a modern ice cream factory packed with innovations and cutting-edge technology. With a complete production and waste management ecosystem being highly environmentally friendly and a focus on true sustainability innovations such as the new innovations replacing electricity used for freezing ice cream with renewable carbon dioxide gas has shortened the production time from four days to 12 minutes that eventually saves energy and reduces electricity costs from over 1 million Baht to 200,000 Baht per month. Solar cells are installed to generate renewable energy within the factory zero waste management and 100% wastewater recycling etc., are implemented among other activities. By utilizing modern technology to manage the production process with the goal of sustainable organizational development (ESG), it had resulted in the company to receive the CEO Economass Award 2024 from the Prime Minister and the 2024 Business Model of the Year Award in the Food and Beverage Sector from the Foundation of the Science and Technology Council of Thailand, as well.
This year’s new products are somewhat very interesting. The company has launched Mini Watermelon Sorbet Ice Cream, the world-first of its kind. The uniqueness of this new product lies in the development of a small, non-genetically modified watermelon variety and yield, designed to be used as a container for fresh watermelon ice cream. After being introduced to customers in several countries the products have significantly been attracted with much interest resulting in a great number of purchase orders being placed for with Korea being the first country to be exported to.
Marketing has still remained focused mainly on international markets with the products being exported and distributed to seven countries, namely: Korea, China, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Australia, and Vietnam while the additional market expansions are targeted on the Middle East and African country groups and the United States of America whereon latter country are still pending further clarification on the outcome of tariff negotiations between the Thai and US governments once again. The new factory standard is a crucial advantage for international market expansions because distributors and consumers prioritize every component of the product including environmental protection and sustainability.
In addition to the jobs of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and the expansions of domestic markets the company has launched its own brand, MaxFresh, this year, by aiming at penetrating into European and American markets. Revenues from OEM, domestic and exporting markets under the MaxFresh brand are expected to likely reach 1 billion Baht this year representing approximately 10% growth compared to last year.
