Doi Kham plans to introduce a new herbal extract from "fah talai jone" (Andrographis paniculata) following 50% revenue growth in the herbal segment.
Pipatpong Israsena Na Ayudhya, president of Doi Kham Food Products, said the herb, also known as the king of bitters, has been in the spotlight among health-conscious consumers during the pandemic because of its promising results in relieving the symptoms of Covid-19.
He said it has been Doi Kham's mission to support Thai farmers through collaborative development of local products to meet high international standards, especially now that herbal products are in high demand.
As a result, Doi Kham sees this as an opportunity to further penetrate the herbal beverage market by introducing Andrographis paniculata extract.
Taweesak Laohawiroje, Doi Kham's executive vice-president of innovation and production, said that the company will focus on improving the taste of a variety of herbal beverages to be more pleasing to consumers' palates, especially the soon-to-be-launched Andrographis paniculata extract andrographolide 20-milligramme capsules.
Mr Taweesak said that consuming Andrographis paniculata extract meant drinkers could enjoy the benefits of herbs without consuming a large quantity of Fah Talai Jone.
Doi Kham's sales of herbal drink products have grown over 50% in recent years.
In addition, sales of honey-based products have increased by more than 50%. This segment has shown continuous growth over the past five years.
Doi Kham also maintains a leading position in the growing tomato juice market. Tomato juice revenue increased by 40% in the first 10 months of this year, and is projected to reach 500 million baht by the end of 2021. Growth in this segment would offset sales losses from the dried fruit segment and help push the firm to profitability.