Origi Rice Taking Organic Thai Rice to International Markets

Origi Rice inspired by King Rama 9 model farm.

The organic rice brand aims to produce more rice products.

Origi Rice hopes to be one of the top five organic rice brands in ASEAN.

“I was inspired when I was an intern and had the opportunity to visit a King Rama 9 model farm,” says Preedathapan Junruang, founder of Origi Rice based in Ta Chai sub-district, Chai-Nart province.

In Ta-Chai rice is grown throughout the year because King Rama 9 had a vision and built the Chao-Phraya dam to supply farmers with sufficient water to grow rice across the seasons. 

After graduating and working as a factory manager for few years, Junruang decided to return home to start his own business. After carrying out some research, he opted to grow organic rice. 

“Ta-Chai is where they produce quality rice, and Chao Phraya dam is the first dam in Thailand, so I think it is perfect to name the brand ‘Origi Rice’ because this is where it all started,” he says. 

Junruang founded the brand in 2015. Its first customers were urban people who were seeking quality organic rice. Even though Origi Rice farm is located among other non-organic farms, Junruang ensured that his farm was purely organic to build trust with his clients. 

He also uses social media to communicate with his customers, posting about each crop.

“As an organic farm, you can’t expect the crops to grow perfectly all the time because we are not using chemicals to help the growth process, so I think being straight with clients is the best policy,” he says. “I often update the progress of each crop on Facebook. If the rice has some diseases, or is slower due to weather or other factors, then the clients will be the first to know. Being honest about the process helps us to gain more trust from our clients.”

Junruang carried out extensive research before deciding upon which type of rice to grow. 

“We are seeking an organic certificate to expand our sales to other countries,” he adds. 

Before COVID-19, Junruang had started developing new rice products, and he plans to carry out further research in this field.

“We have new products such as rice powder for drinks, and we are looking forward to keep developing new products,” he says. “I want to make Origi Rice one of the top five organic rice brands in ASEAN.” 

For more information please visit: https://www.origirice.com/

To explore more Thai food products, visit DITP’s www.thaitrade.com or www.thaifex-vts.com

Photo courtesy of Origi Rice

Words by: Ploylada Prommate