Food of the future in Thailand: high tension in the patent race!

Food of the future in Thailand: high tension in the patent race!

What's happening in the world of future food in Thailand? A recently published report by the Thai Intellectual Property Office provides interesting insights into the trends and developments in the field of future foods and bioactive compounds. A comprehensive analysis of patent applications over the past 20 years has been conducted and the results show that Thailand is well on its way to becoming a leader in international competition. Loud thailandplus.tv The industry is now considered one of the most promising in the world, which fits perfectly with global trends in health and sustainability.

Growth opportunities and market development

The analysis shows that future foods are not only health-promoting, but also safe and appeal to the lifestyle of the new generation. These include, for example, health supplements, functional foods and alternative proteins. The market for bioactive compounds alone is estimated to be around 500 billion baht in Thailand by 2027 – a real blast! Even though the market has currently reached a phase of stability, the competition remains no less exciting. This can also be seen in the patent applications, which have already reached 190 applications in the field of future food in Thailand for the first nine months of 2025, including 157 from abroad and 33 from Thailand. 93 patents and 163 utility models alone were approved.

Innovative technologies in focus

In just the last few years, four emerging technologies have come to the fore, leading the trend toward adapting to health- and environmentally-conscious consumers. These technologies include:

• Pflanzenbasierte Proteine und bioaktive Verbindungen: Hier beobachten wir ein Wachstum von 2.100 bis 2.900 Patenten pro Jahr, überwiegend von akademischen Institutionen.
• Personalisierte Ernährung: Diese Sparte bringt kontinuierlich 800 bis 900 Patente pro Jahr hervor und umfasst individuelle Nahrungsmittel- und Ergänzungsformeln.
• Fermentationstechnologien: Diese nutzen Mikroben zur Verbesserung der Nahrungsmittelqualität und können auf 200 bis 300 Patente pro Jahr blicken, wobei China als Vorreiter gilt.
• 3D-Lebensmitteldruck: Ein innovativer Ansatz zur Gestaltung von Lebensmitteln mit präziser Nährstoffkontrolle, ebenfalls mit 200 bis 300 Patenten pro Jahr.

Government support

Thanks to the support of the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI), the Thai agri-food industry is being comprehensively promoted. The BOI offers incentives to companies in the form of tax exemptions over eight years and allows 100% foreign ownership. These measures are intended to promote the development of foods with health claims, novel foods, organic foods and medical foods. It is now time to harness Thailand's potential and abundant raw materials to take a leading role in these industries, explains mgronline.com.

The BOI also supports startups in the food tech sector, for example through programs such as SPACE-F, Thailand's first global food tech startup incubator. This is how innovative ideas and concepts are born that not only meet trends in consumer behavior, but also offer sustainable solutions to existing challenges in food production.

Conclusion

In summary, it can be said that the Thai food industry is in transition and is setting the course for the future. The combination of innovative technologies, governmental benefits and broad access to raw materials creates optimal conditions for positioning Thailand as a leading nation in the food sector of the future. As the Intellectual Property Office's analysis shows, this area is not only a market of tomorrow, but also a success story of today. At a time when health and sustainability are in focus, it remains to be seen what exciting developments the industry has in store.