Recipe for success: Thailand’s Squid Brand capitalising on trending flavours and ‘personalised healthy’ options to stay on top

24-Jul-2023 - Last updated on 24-Jul-2023 at 02:56 GMT

Innovation within the fish sauce category is Squid Brand's priority to keep up with evolving trends, rather than diversifying into other product segments. ©Squid Brand

Related tags Thailand Sauces Healthier choice

Thai fish sauce firm Squid Brand says innovation within the category is its priority to keep up with evolving trends, rather than diversifying into other product segments.

Speaking to FoodNavigator-Asia, Thitiya Nithipitigan, Deputy Managing Director of Thai Fishsauce Factory (Squid Brand) Co Ltd, said that it is an approach that has upheld its market position for over 80 years.

“Fish sauce is one of the main ingredients in Thai cuisine, which gives it the taste of authenticity. If you go around, you’d see other companies coming out with all kinds of sauces, but our approach is different — we are focused on making fish sauce and creating variations of it based on current trends and consumer needs.”

At THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2023 held in Bangkok from May 23 to 27, the brand introduced its latest products, Truffle Fish Sauce and Mala Spicy Fish Sauce, which are flavours that are said to be very popular among Thai consumers in recent times.

The two products will be launched in Thailand first, before joining the rest of the export line-up.

“We also have a Vegan Fish Sauce that is made with 100% plant-based ingredients, such as shiitake extract and dried kombu (kelp). It is vegan-certified and tastes just like normal fish sauce. For vegans who enjoy Thai flavours, this is the best fish sauce substitute,” said Nithipitigan.

It is part of Squid Brand’s range of “personalised healthy fish sauces” that cater to different consumer groups, which also include the Mild Fish Sauce for Kids and Mild Fish Sauce for Silver Ages.

“Each consumer group has different needs, so we wanted to develop products that meet these specific needs. Both the sauces for children and the elderly are sugar-free, and have 20% less sodium content than the regular version. The natural sweetness comes from monk fruit. The sauces are also enriched with vitamin B12 and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which are known for their health benefits.

“As people get older, their taste buds age along with the rest of the body. The aroma and flavoursome taste of the Mild Sauce for Silver Ages can help stimulate the appetite of seniors. Furthermore, it contains folic acid, an important nutrient for red blood cell formation and healthy cell growth.”

Part of Squid Brand’s range of “personalised healthy fish sauces”. ©Squid Brand

Worldwide presence

With all its products developed and manufactured in Thailand, Squid Brand is a household name in the country and “one of the best-known fish sauce brands among Westerners”.

The firm’s overseas expansion started back in 1974. Currently, its products are available in more than 70 markets worldwide, including the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, and South Korea.

“We are Thailand’s number one exporter of fish sauce, but we are always looking to bring our brand to more countries. Wherever there are people eating Thai food, we want to be part of it. We are very supportive of Thai cuisine going global,” Nithipitigan shared.

Over the years, the brand has continuously reformulated its products to fulfil international standards, and address the demands of both its domestic and overseas markets.

These include the increasing number of health-conscious consumers.

“From sourcing of raw materials to the production process and finished products, we have adopted state-of-the-art machinery and technology to achieve world-class quality. Today, most of our products are gluten-free, and contain no MSG, colouring and preservatives. This way, we can continue to be an authentic-tasting fish sauce brand that is loved by people all over the world.”