Best Innovation:
How a local herbal treatment
for osteoarthritis turned into
a popular award-winner
De Prima Enterprise won the Best Innovation Prime Minister’s Export Award 2019 for producing and selling joint and cartilage pain-relief cream, named “Longanoid”, made from longan seeds.
Longanoid is a Thai product that gained popularity through word of mouth recommendations by users. Its uniqueness has also won it fans abroad after tourists bought it and took it back to their countries for their own use and even to give away as souvenirs.
Prof. Dr. Usanee Vinitketkumnuen, President of De Prima Enterprise Co., Ltd., explained: “It started with my own research regarding Thai herbs and looking at longan seeds which I saw could prevent degradation of cartilage which causes osteoarthritis. Then I tested the existing therapeutic extract by mixing with the body lotion produced by factory owned by my son, using it as a nourishing cream in combination with modern medicines. It came in a small tube like body lotion. So we positioned the product as a pain relief and nourishing cream. We added aroma through an innovation that makes the cream non-sticky and smooth. We also changed the packaging to make it bright and modern.”
Longan seed is an original Thai herb from Lanna culture, the historic culture of Chiang Mai. From this vantage point, De Prima Enterprise added Chinese and English labels to the product and aimed it at the international market.
“Thanks to the support of the Department of International Trade Promotion, we have been able to participate in exhibitions in Singapore, Laos and Switzerland,” added Prof. Dr. Usanee.
The product won an outstanding product award from a 2018’s contest in Switzerland and won an Innovation award in Shanghai, in addition to winning on the first entry into the PM’s Export Awards this year.