Perspective on functional food commercialization in Thailand

Recent, launching a new product that claims to be “functional food” or “food that is good for health” is introduced into the market a lot, but there are just some products only to be successful.Therefore, the objective of this article attempt to explain and analyze what is perspective of the commercialization of functional foods and regulations governing the labelling of functionalfood products by qualitative and quantitative research. Result found that Thailand’s functional foods market volume in 2014 was approximately 96,000 million Baht or 2.72 billion U.S. dollars and growing at 6.0 percent per year until 2016. Number of functional food entrepreneur including manufactures and distributes availability at market are 29 companies. Marketing mix factors are used to finding the influencing the decisions to buy and consume functional foods. Satisfy the consumer’s needs and product quality influence the decisions at the very high level and the consumers tend to choose the products from their benefits and qualities. Prices influence the consumer’s decision would like a product that’s worth the price to be paid. Meanwhile place affects the buying decision at the average level. Products can be found in general convenient stores, easy to buy such as convenient location, internet were very affecting the decision on purchasing of functional foods. Regarding promotion, promotions through various types of media explaining product benefits and qualities and product testing influence on the decisions at the very high level. The success factors are consumer characteristics product characteristics and lifestyle fit and failure factors are market timing and sharing and regulation. Thailand do not have rule and regulation for functional but Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration under the Ministry of Public Health is applied the laws and regulations that are similar to this area as Act, Food Act B.E. 2522 (A.D. 1979) and notifications of Ministry of Public Health/Notifications and orders of Food and Drug Administration regarding food and beverage, and food supplement.