BANGKOK, THAILAND – Thailand’s Commerce Ministry expected nearly 3.84 billion baht in new export opportunities after a targeted charm offensive with one of the largest US importers. The initiative aimed to strengthen the position of Thai food products in the United States and respond to changing tariffs.
Rapid deals from special trade mission
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said the results stemmed from the “Exclusive Incoming Mission” project, launched under the ministry’s Quick-Big-Win policy to accelerate export growth. The initiative was designed to secure concrete orders in a short period.
As part of this mission, executives from Otis McAllister, the largest importer of Thai rice in the United States, were brought to Thailand early in the year for direct talks with local producers. The ministry positioned these meetings as a way to match specific US demand with Thai supply capabilities.
According to the ministry, these discussions led immediately to orders from six US importers worth 12.2 million US dollars, equivalent to about 378.6 million baht. Officials expected total orders to rise to 123.8 million US dollars within one year, with further negotiations on additional deliveries already being prepared.
Key products: rice and seafood
The core of the agreed shipments consisted of canned sardines, canned tuna, jasmine rice and chili oil, which US buyers identified as particularly sought-after products. These items formed the backbone of the new export packages discussed with the visiting delegation.
US partners also signalled interest in expanding to other canned seafood, canned fruit and dried fruit. On the rice side, they looked at aged rice, broken rice and parboiled rice as potential additions to their import portfolios.
Response to US tariff changes
Suphajee stressed that the initiative was part of a broader strategy to respond to recently announced US tariff adjustments and to secure new room for manoeuvre in trade. The ministry aimed to ensure that Thai suppliers could adapt quickly to the evolving tariff environment.
She underlined the importance of a stronger market presence in segments where US domestic production was insufficient and Thai exporters could deliver flexibly. These niches were seen as critical to maintaining and expanding Thailand’s footprint in American retail and food service channels.
Food security and long-term ties
“Greater access for Thai food products not only meets the demand of US consumers, but also strengthens cooperation between Thailand and the United States on food security.”
said Suphajee, the responsible commerce minister.
The Commerce Ministry relied on Thailand’s role as an established exporter of rice and processed foods to secure long-term supply relationships with American buyers. Officials viewed stable, recurring orders as essential for both export income and supply reliability.
Background to the project and partner firm
Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, director-general of the Department of International Trade Promotion, said the project followed Suphajee’s visit to Los Angeles in November last year. During that trip, she met Royce Nicolaisen, the head of Otis McAllister.
According to Sunanta, those talks led to the company’s commitment to travel to Thailand and negotiate directly with producers on concrete business deals. The “Exclusive Incoming Mission” was built around this pledge to bring buyers and sellers together.
Global trading intermediary
Otis McAllister had been active for more than a century as a global trading intermediary, focusing on supplies to the food service sector and travel retail. Its activities included products for duty-free shops at international airports.
On the US market, the company imported grains and processed foods not only from Thailand, but also from Vietnam, Peru, Pakistan, Ecuador, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands and India. This broad sourcing network positioned the firm as a key channel for international food products entering the United States.