The leader of Bangkok, Thailand-based seafood distributor Thammachart Seafood Retail Co. is hoping his company is past the worst of the economic damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thailand recently announced it would allow vaccinated visitors from 46 countries to enter the country without having to quarantine. As Thailand looks to reopen to tourism, Thammachart CEO Julian Davies said he expects the country’s foodservice business to increase to between 50 and 70 percent of pre-pandemic figures by the end of 2021. The trade is currently 10 percent of the pre-COVID-19 figures, according to Davies.
“Fortunately, we can see some light at the end of the tunnel. The markets are reopening, albeit slowly, with the borders open to vaccinated tourists from 1 November. Alcohol sales are not allowed in restaurants yet, but the hope is that the Thai government will allow alcohol sales from 1 December,” Davies said. “Thais and foreign residents have been making the most of the lower prices offered at hotels, especially over the past few public holiday weekends. The hospitality sector accounts for a sizeable chunk of local GDP, so fingers crossed, tourists will travel, especially given the high season starts soon. I am sure the main tourist attractions like Phuket and Samui will do OK, but it will likely take time for tourists to travel to many other areas in Thailand.”
The company’s retail sales are around 80 percent of what they were pre-COVID-19, but Thammachart has adapted to survive, Davies said. The company’s marketing has been focused almost entirely on this channel via social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok, Davies said.
"Alignment during this period has been online – B2C – where we’ve had exponential growth, servicing customers' needs for both ingredients for cooking like salmon fillets and ready meals,” Davies told SeafoodSource. “Sales have now leveled off, but it’s still good.”
Photo courtesy of Thammachart Seafood Retail Co.
