{"id":52775,"date":"2026-02-20T23:13:23","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T23:13:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/?p=52775"},"modified":"2026-02-20T23:14:23","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T23:14:23","slug":"thai-food-and-hospitality-corporates-lead-asia-on-protein-disclosure-but-lack-transition-plans-and-diversification-apb100-finds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/?p=52775","title":{"rendered":"Thai Food and Hospitality Corporates Lead Asia on Protein Disclosure, But Lack Transition Plans and Diversification, APB100 Finds"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u2022 Thai companies assessed include Central Plaza Hotel, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Thai Union Group, CP ALL, Thai Beverage, Minor International, Dusit Thani, SnP, MK Restaurants, and President bakery spanning, manufacturing, restaurants, retail and hospitality.<\/span>
\n\u2022 Several Thai companies assessed are in Tier 3, but still, none score over 50%<\/span>
\n\u2022 Strong labour and seafood disclosure, but weak implementation across several themes and absence of credible protein diversification strategies<\/span><\/p>\n

20 February, Bangkok \u2014 Thailand\u2019s largest food retailers, manufacturers, restaurant chains and hospitality groups are well positioned to shape the country\u2019s https:\/\/asiareengage.com\/kitchen-of-the-future-the-economic-and-environmental-benefits-of-protein-diversification-in-thailand\/ according to The Asia Protein Buyers 100: An Assessment of Responsible and Sustainable Sourcing, released today by Asia Research & Engagement (ARE).<\/p>\n

The benchmark finds that Thai companies lead regional peers on protein supply-chain disclosure. However, most have yet to develop robust transition plans to integrate plant-based proteins, remaining heavily dependent on high-emission animal proteins and imported feed linked to deforestation, biodiversity loss and air pollution.<\/p>\n

The Asia Protein Buyers 100 (APB100) is an investor-backed benchmark assessing how 100 of Asia\u2019s largest listed protein-buying companies across twelve markets, including Thailand, manage environmental, social and governance risks embedded in meat, dairy, poultry and seafood supply chains. The assessment spans governance, traceability, labour and just transition, worker health and safety (WHS) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), animal welfare, climate change, deforestation and biodiversity, seafood, water and waste, and protein diversification.<\/p>\n

Animal proteins carry significantly higher climate, deforestation, public health, water and land-use risks than plant-based alternatives. As a result, protein diversification \u2014 including the scaling of plant-based proteins \u2014 has emerged as a critical lever for companies and investors seeking to manage material ESG risks, meet net-zero targets and innovate towards healthier and more sustainable food systems.<\/p>\n

Thailand remains a higher-performing market
\nThailand is consistently one of the strongest-performing markets in the APB100. Of the 10 Thai companies assessed, six are placed in Tier 3 (Evolving Strategically), with the remaining companies in Tier 4 (Developing Efforts). Thai companies recorded the highest market average score in ARE\u2019s 2024 edition of the benchmark. In the latest assessment, Thailand again emerges as the highest-scoring market, however the bar remains comparatively low with an average overall score of 26%.<\/p>\n

Together, these companies represent the core of Thailand\u2019s manufacturing, retail and foodservice (HORECA) sectors, placing them at a critical juncture in the country\u2019s protein system where procurement decisions directly influence production standards and supply-chain risk.<\/p>\n

Labour anchors Thailand\u2019s lead
\nThailand leads the benchmark on Labour, reflecting stronger disclosure on supplier codes of conduct, labour standards and, critically, supply-chain due diligence. These results indicate that many Thai companies have moved beyond basic policy statements and are beginning to embed and audit labour expectations more consistently across supplier networks.<\/p>\n

Climate disclosure continues to strengthen
\nThai companies perform above the Asia average on Climate Change, driven by wider uptake of net-zero commitments, Scope 3 emissions disclosure and reporting aligned with international frameworks. However, there is limited evidence of how climate targets are being implemented within protein supply chains \u2014 particularly through integrated supplier engagement, capital allocation and emissions-reduction outcomes linked to feed sourcing, farming and plant-protein procurement.<\/p>\n

Seafood disclosure stands out among assessed sustainability themes
\nGiven Thailand\u2019s significant exposure to global seafood supply chains, seafood-related disclosure is more advanced than in most Asian markets, with most seafood-exposed companies disclosing more sustainable sourcing practices.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, gaps persist in traceability depth, independent verification and outcome-based reporting, particularly where companies are expected to demonstrate measurable improvements rather than narrative commitments.<\/p>\n

Animal welfare disclosure gains momentum
\nOn Animal Welfare, Thai companies score higher than many Asian peers, with a growing number publishing animal-welfare policies and referencing higher-welfare sourcing practices.<\/p>\n

At the same time, APB100 2025 finds persistent gaps in time-bound commitments, contextualised cage-free coverage and independent certification. Few companies disclose measurable progress on higher-welfare sourcing, indicating that animal welfare remains an emerging rather than embedded pillar of responsible protein-sourcing.<\/p>\n

Governance, Protein Diversification and Nature Risks Remain Critical Gaps
\nAs with most Asian peers, Thai companies show low performance on governance related to protein sustainability. Performance on Protein Diversification is also weak, with no companies articulating a board-approved strategy for a climate-safe, just and humane protein transition or demonstrating meaningful shifts in protein sourcing.<\/p>\n

While companies increasingly acknowledge nature-related risks, time-bound commitments and verified deforestation-free sourcing \u2014 the inclusion of high-risk supply chains such as beef, and animal-feed crops remains limited.<\/p>\n

Why Thailand matters: A Critical Node in Asia’s Protein Transition
\nThailand plays a pivotal role in Asia\u2019s protein system as a major producer, processor, exporter and consumer of animal protein. It is also a fast-growing market where foodservice sectors \u2014 including restaurant chains, catering, hospitals and hospitality groups \u2014 increasingly shape sourcing expectations and protein demand across the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cYear-on-year Thailand demonstrates that higher performance is achievable within Asia,\u201d said ARE\u2019s Pongsagorn (Art) Satjipanon, Thailand Sustainable Food Systems Manager. \u201cHaving established itself as a regional leader on labour, climate and seafood disclosures, the real opportunity \u2014 and urgent need \u2014 is to translate that into just, humane and sustainable transition plans that commit to scale plant-proteins across menus and supply chains like international leaders.<\/p>\n

Moving from commitment to implementation will require clear targets, stronger supplier engagement and credible assurance across protein supply chains. Doing so would allow Thailand to convert regional leadership into globally recognised standards, positioning the country at the centre of Asia\u2019s Kitchen of the Future.<\/p>\n

About Asia Research & Engagement (ARE)
\nARE brings leading investors into dialogue with Asian-listed companies to address sustainable development challenges and help companies align with investor priorities. With decades of Asia experience, our cross-cultural team understands the region\u2019s unique needs. Our high-quality independent research, robust investor network, and engagement expertise, provide corporate leaders and financial decision makers with insights leading to concrete action.<\/p>\n

ANNEX 1: Methodology<\/p>\n

Scope of assessment
\n1. Companies assessed
\n\u2022 100 listed companies
\n\u2022 Headquartered or operating primarily in Asia
\n\u2022 Selected based on market capitalisation, scale of protein sourcing, and relevance to regional food systems
\n\u2022 The benchmark largely maintains continuity with the 2023 edition, with limited changes due to delistings, privatisations or material business shifts<\/p>\n

2. Total of 10 markets covered<\/p>\n

\u2022 Mainland China, Hong Kong & Taiwan
\n\u2022 Japan
\n\u2022 South Korea
\n\u2022 India
\n\u2022 Thailand
\n\u2022 Philippines
\n\u2022 Malaysia
\n\u2022 Indonesia
\n\u2022 Vietnam
\n\u2022 Singapore<\/p>\n

3. Sectors covered
\n\u2022 Food manufacturing (meat, dairy, seafood, packaged foods)
\n\u2022 Retail (supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores)
\n\u2022 Restaurants (QSR and casual dining chains)
\n\u2022 Hospitality (hotels and catering)<\/p>\n

4. Assessment framework
\nEach company is assessed against a structured framework of 40 indicators across 10 material themes:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Governance
\n\u2022 Traceability & Sourcing
\n\u2022 Labour & Just Transition
\n\u2022 Worker Health & Safety (WHS) & Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
\n\u2022 Animal Welfare
\n\u2022 Climate Change
\n\u2022 Deforestation & Biodiversity
\n\u2022 Seafood
\n\u2022 Water & Waste
\n\u2022 Protein Diversification<\/p>\n

5. Tier classification
\nCompanies are grouped into six performance tiers based on their overall percentage score:
\n\u2022 Tier 1 \u2013 Driving Transformation
\n\u2022 Tier 2 \u2013 Advancing Steadily
\n\u2022 Tier 3 \u2013 Evolving Strategically
\n\u2022 Tier 4 \u2013 Developing Efforts
\n\u2022 Tier 5 \u2013 Showing Awareness
\n\u2022 Tier 6 \u2013 At the Starting Block<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u2022 Thai companies assessed include Central Plaza Hotel, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Thai Union Group, CP ALL, Thai Beverage, Minor International, Dusit Thani, SnP, MK Restaurants, and President bakery spanning, manufacturing, restaurants, retail and hospitality. \u2022 Several Thai companies assessed are in Tier 3, but still, none score over 50% \u2022 Strong labour and seafood disclosure, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":52776,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-52775","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-1"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=52775"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52775\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52778,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52775\/revisions\/52778"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/52776"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=52775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=52775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailytimesthai.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=52775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}