"Thailand's agricultural sector faces significant challenges, with one of the most pressing issues being the widespread use of pesticides. The Thai market often prioritizes affordability and visual appeal over food safety, leading to the dominance of low-cost, lower-quality produce. While organic labeling is common, it is often misleading," says Sansin Sriphiromrak, CEO of DISTAR FRESH, a vertical farm near Bangkok, Thailand.
As Sansin explains, out of over 500 pesticides used in the country, only 48 pesticides are regularly tested for residues, leaving many harmful chemicals unmonitored. Alarmingly, even when organic produce is found to contain pesticides, existing regulations are rarely enforced in practice, resulting in negligible consequences for offenders. "Additionally, traceability remains a major issue, with many products falsely labeled as organic to command a premium price, further undermining consumer safety."
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Sansin Sriphiromrak and Krisana Tamvimol pictured at DiStar Fresh Farm
Backed by DiStar, a well-established Thai electronics company, DiStar Fresh Farm was co-founded by DiStar and Krisana Tamvimol, the CEO of Wangree Fresh. Now serving as the CTO of DiStar Fresh Farm, Krisana focuses on driving innovation and developing advanced farming techniques, while Sansin oversees the facility's operations to ensure smooth execution. The 400m² facility, supported by DiStar's resources and Krisana's expertise, cultivates over 15 different products, including leafy greens, herbs, and lettuce. This farm serves as a Proof of Concept, demonstrating how farming can be done more effectively and sustainably while setting new benchmarks regarding transparency.
Aiming to address the toxin-induced produce, DiStar campaigns its pesticide-free produce throughout the country, with a positive response to date. By screening for 693 pesticides, more than any other provider in the market, and conducting tests through EU-accredited labs in Thailand, DiStar goes above and beyond to ensure products are 100% pesticide-free.
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The outside of the building
Nationwide next-day delivery
DiStar has implemented a subscription-based delivery model, providing households across Thailand with fresh vegetables. Subscribers receive four deliveries per month at 500 Baht per box. Each delivery contains 10 units of vegetables, and customers can customize their orders weekly selecting up to 5 varieties from a total of 15 kinds grown on the farm. This ensures a personalized experience while maintaining a balance of freshness and variety.
Utilizing Thai Post's existing logistics network, DiStar Fresh can ensure next-day delivery nationwide. And for a very good reason, Sansin finds. "Using established networks makes our system efficient, and minimizes emissions and extra operating costs. This allows us to focus on what we do best: growing high-quality produce."
Placing a strong emphasis on quality and freshness, DiStar compensates customers with a new box of produce, valued at 500 Baht (14.61 USD), if a delivery is delayed. "Freshness and reliability are essential for building trust with our customers. We've learned that ensuring timely deliveries is just as important as the quality of the produce itself," Krisana comments.
In contrast to retail produce that often involves multiple resellers and lower traceability, DiStar helps increase transparency by sharing photos of the produce before delivery and the ability of real-time tracking. "This level of customer service has helped us build a reliable reputation in a tricky market."
In-house technology
All technology and hardware deployed is designed by Krisana, allowing him to tailor it to location, and crop needs. The farm uses reverse osmosis systems for water purification, food-grade piping, and tailored LED spectra. "On this farm, we spent around 830,000 USD, whereas these systems allow us to maintain consistent quality while managing costs."
As for raw material use, the growing media is a blend of perlite and vermiculite, used in a 5:1 ratio. This combination ensures optimal water absorption and airflow while minimizing structural risks. While the growing media is not reused within the operations due to concerns about biomatter, such as residual roots, the company partnered with farmers who repurpose it as compost material. "We made this decision to reduce production risks while supporting sustainable practices."
Regarding affordability, energy costs in Thailand are significantly lower than in Europe and North America. Thanks to the flexibility of operating an indoor farm, DiStar can optimize electricity usage by focusing on off-peak hours, where rates are approximately 45% lower than peak rates. As Sansin notes, peak electricity costs are 4.7 Baht (0.15 USD) per kWh, while off-peak rates are as low as 2.6 Baht (0.07 USD). "This ability to strategically manage energy consumption allows us to maintain low costs, making our high-quality produce accessible to local consumers, while upholding the highest standards of freshness and sustainability."
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Sansin and Krisana showing off some of their products which are ready for delivery
Education as a key metric for growth
Since its launch, DiStar has grown its subscriber base to over 1,000 households, with plans to double that number utilizing the current farm capacity of 10,000 KG per month. The long-term vision includes expanding to 100,000 subscribers to create a substantial consumer base for pesticide-free produce. "If we reach this goal, we can influence the market and redefine standards of food safety, paving the way for a healthier and more sustainable food system."
To achieve this goal, DiStar engages in public education through talks and tours to raise awareness about agricultural practices and food safety. "When people understand what goes into their food, they make better choices. Which eventually helps us expand our market reach."
Besides expansion plans, Sansin and Krisana plan to add more crops to the product basket including cucumbers, tomatoes, and strawberries. "We're not excluding the opportunity of exporting our products. Thailand is well-positioned to become a competitive player in global agriculture," he let know.
For more information:
DISTAR FRESH
Sansin Sriphiromrak, CEO
[email protected]
www.distarfresh.com