“Delicious, Functional, and Affordable” form the key concept of Srinanaporn Marketing Public Company Limited, which has produced and distributed snacks under many famous brands such as Jele and Bento. Boasting quality products, the firm has been growing strong throughout the past three decades,
Today, therefore, has conducted an interview with Mr. Thakorn Chaisathaporn, the firm’s Senior Executive Vice President – Business Division 2, to learn about his business strategies and his family business’ path to provide Thais’ favorite snacks.
Transforming Family Business into Thais’
Top-of-The-Mind Snack Maker His family business was initially a wholesaler of snacks based in Bangkok’s Mahanak Market. Within 10 years, the business grew so big that it ranked among the country’s top snack dealers as its customer base expanded across all provinces. Over time, the business expanded to the manufacturing sector as well. It started producing various snacks, including wafers and biscuits. Mr. Thakorn stepped into the firm around the time it began exporting its products to Malaysia and Singapore.
“When I returned from my overseas education in late 1990, I thought about producing products for Thai market because we had an extensive network of dealers in provinces. I also noticed that shopping complexes would be a growing market. So, my family decided to found Srinanaporn. Our first brand is Good Good, which features dried fruits. Then, we bought jelly-making machines and entered shopping complexes with Jele brand in 1992. Backed by marketing activities, Jele received quite a good response. After its launch, it became the No. 2 brand in its segment,” Mr. Thakorn revealed.
At that time, konjaku was growing popular. Mr. Thakorn thus commissioned his team to add konjaku into the firm’s products and sold them under Jele Light brand based on the concept of “Delicious & Refreshing Snack for Full Stomach”. The firm also added various other nutrients including collagen and vitamins to its products under Jele Beautie brand, which has been the leader in this ready-to-drink jelly product segment.
Bento came to the market in 1996, because the firm noticed an opportunity in the fish-snack market. Later on, the firm has also launched various other products such as stick biscuits under Lotus brand, pineapple crackers, coconut juice, black-jelly juice, and herbal drinks under Magic Farm brand. The latest brand from the firm, AQUAVITZ, entered the market in 2020 with its vitamin-containing water.
“We have discovered inspirations for business development all the time. Guided by clear policies, we have constantly studied markets and consumer behaviors. Information has been used to develop both our products and distribution channels for customer satisfaction. Today, we have four main product categories, namely 1) Jelly products; 2) Seafood snacks; 3) Biscuits and wafers; and 4) Beverages,” Mr. Thakorn explained.
Customer-Centric Approach Drives Growth
Srinanaporn’s goal is to establish itself as the region’s leading snack/beverage manufacturer. In pursuit of this goal, the firm has embraced customer-centric approach and environmentally-friendly operations.
“Focusing on consumers, we produce delicious and functional products and sell them at affordable prices. Moreover, we pay attention to the environment because we are not just a manufacturer but also corporate citizen. We are doing our best to be eco-friendly,” Mr. Thakorn revealed.
“As for packaging, our collaboration with SCGP has led to Green Carton. Friendlier to the environment than the previous version of packages, Green Cartons have curbed paper usage by 30 to 40 percent but have proven as efficient in protecting products. Our Jele packets, through our efforts, have also become increasingly recyclable. At our factory, we have used solar power where we can. Waste is minimized through an emphasis on reuse. All these measures are taken without compromising our quality and standard,” this executive quipped.
Solution & Sincerity from Business Partner While environmentally-friendly Srinanaporn demands green solutions, it also looks for sincerity from its business partners in pursuit of sustainable collaborations.
“We choose Green Carton by SCGP, because it has good quality with reasonable price. We need to pay attention to cost because we aim to deliver products to consumers at an affordable price as well. SCGP responds to our needs in all aspects – price, quality, functionality, and environmental friendliness. We aim to tap further into the retail market in the future as we have recognized opportunities from vending machines. We believe SCGP’s Flexible Packaging will suit our business plans well,” Mr. Thakorn continued.
“We have embraced SCGP as our long-time partner mainly on two grounds. Firstly, SCGP owns a number of technologies and offers various green solutions. Secondly, SCGP is sincere. We have always received great cooperation from SCGP. As the development of our eco-friendly products and packaging continues, we really hope that SCGP will continue to support us in our journey,” he concluded.