PIM was honored to welcome the high-level delegation from Uoriki, a global seafood company with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan on 11 August 2022. Led by CEO Mr. Masayuki Yamada, the accompanying members of the group included representatives from JA Zennoh International Cooperation, the agency responsible for liaising with food products and promoting Japanese food materials; CP Food Japan; and Chia Tai Bright Business Japan.
Mr. Korsak Chairasmisak, Founder of PIM and Executive Chairman of CP ALL, received Mr. Masayuki and together they outlined activities involving the potential role of PIM in knowledge and skill transfer to develop a capable, high-skilled team in Thailand.
Mr. Masayuki expressed that healthy food is always their focus, Uoriki aligns with the nutritional requirements at a global scale. He mentioned that since Covid19 prevents Thais from visiting Japan, he is thinking of bringing delicious and healthy food for Thais to enjoy. Mr. Masayuki then asked what the trends in the food industry in Thailand.
Ms. Puangpetch Nittayanont, Dean of the Faculty of Food Business Management, replied that Thailand has three levels of food industry depending on the scale, including street food. She acknowledged that seafood is a very important protein source and sees Thai people switching to consuming more seafood. She added that food safety is a priority at PIM, evident by the 1-year training course that is open for public registration. She also shared that PIM is working with some restaurants that award full scholarships to students with the intent of hiring them all after graduation as full time employees. Ms. Puangpetch added that PIM also had to adjust and at times change the curriculum during the past 2 years to address the limitations of Covid19 in the sphere of education. One important trend to consider in Thailand is considering delicious, safe, and affordable food. For 7-Eleven, consumer convenience is also a top priority.
Mr. Nobutada Onishi, President and CEO of CPF Japan, thanked Ms. Puangpetch for sharing her insights. He agreed with Ms. Puangpetch, saying that he has seen growing interest in sushi consumption in Thailand. He shared that when he was handling the US market 20 years ago, he oversaw the movement towards sushi rather than the whole fish. He adds that maybe Thailand will move in the same direction. Mr. Nobuta is hopeful about working with PIM in education and training because handling different types of seafood will require knowledge and regulations matched with the growing needs of the sushi market.
After the discussion, the delegation was given a private tour of the university facilities and the PIM Food Academy.
