U.S. Food Export to Thailand

Chihade International supplies American food products to importers, hotels and foodservice distributors in Thailand, shipped from our SQF-certified facility in Georgia. We are looking for a distributor partner in Thailand.

Why Thailand

Thailand is a large foodservice market where U.S. suppliers are conspicuously under-represented. Foodservice was worth $32.8 billion in 2024 and growing at 7%; food retail $7.9 billion and growing 6%.

Yet the U.S. is only the ninth-largest supplier of consumer-oriented products, with about 5% of an $8.4 billion consumer-oriented import market. Tourism is the demand engine, with tourism revenue forecast at $88.2 billion for 2025. Growth categories for U.S. product are dairy, food preparations, fresh fruit and tree nuts.

What We Do From the U.S.

We are a U.S. exporter. We do not operate warehouses or distribution in Thailand — that is what our distributor partners do. Our job is everything on the American side of the shipment:

• Sourcing from more than 300 U.S. manufacturers, to your specification
• Consolidating mixed loads into full containers, so you are not forced into single-supplier minimums
• Dry, chilled and frozen storage in our 64,000 sq. ft. SQF-certified facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia
• Thai-language labelling, stickering and ink-jet date coding applied before goods leave the U.S.
• Export documentation — USDA and health certificates, halal certification where required, certificates of origin
• Ocean and air freight on contracted U.S. lanes, with expedited air for urgent replenishment

Import Requirements We Prepare For

The Thai Food and Drug Administration, under the Ministry of Public Health, is the principal authority for processed food imports, licensing, registration and labelling. Under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Department of Livestock Development (DLD) controls meat and animal-derived imports.

An importer needs a food import licence, renewed every three years, and the Thai FDA inspects the importer’s storage facility before issuing it. Products are categorised, with specifically controlled foods requiring full registration and a food serial number before import.

Thai-language labelling is required — foreign languages may accompany it but cannot replace it.

Halal is not mandatory, but halal claims require certification recognised by the Central Islamic Council of Thailand (CICOT), which maintains a list of recognised foreign certification bodies including several U.S. certifiers.

Laem Chabang is the main deep-sea container gateway; Bangkok Port is secondary and limited by vessel size.

What We Look For in a Distributor Partner

We are deliberately selective, because these relationships tend to last decades rather than seasons. We are typically looking for:

• An established importer of record, with the licences and clearance experience the market requires
• Real coverage of at least one channel — modern retail, wholesale, foodservice distribution, or franchise supply
• Temperature-controlled storage and distribution appropriate to the categories you want to carry
• A sales team that can place and support a new brand rather than simply warehousing it
• An interest in a long-term programme, including exclusive lines where it makes sense for both sides

If that is a reasonable description of your business, we would like to talk.

See all markets we serve →

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we get exclusive rights to a brand in our market?

In many cases, yes. Chihade International is the exclusive distributor of Country Sun, our own brand of American cheeses, mayonnaise, frying oils, cheese sauce and breakfast meats. Where it makes commercial sense on both sides, we grant exclusive Country Sun distribution rights by territory — a line your competitors cannot stock. See the range at countrysunfoods.com.

Do you have a warehouse or office in Thailand?

No. Chihade International is a U.S. exporter based in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and we ship from there. We do not hold stock inside Thailand. Local importing, clearance, storage and distribution are handled by our distributor partners — which is precisely the role we are looking to fill.

Do we have to order a full container of a single product?

No. Consolidation is one of the main reasons distributors work with us. We combine products from multiple U.S. manufacturers into one container, so you can carry a broad range without committing to full-truckload minimums from each supplier.

Do you handle Thai-language labelling?

Yes. Thai is required and cannot be replaced by English. We apply compliant Thai labelling and date coding in Georgia before shipment.

Can we make a halal claim on U.S. product in Thailand?

Only with certification from a body recognised by CICOT. Several U.S. certifiers are on the recognised list, and we route certification accordingly where a halal claim is part of your programme.

How We Work With Partners in Thailand

Whichever channel you operate in, the U.S. side of the shipment is the same: sourcing, consolidation, preparation and documentation from our SQF-certified facility in Lawrenceville, Georgia.

• Franchise export — supplying U.S. franchise brands at their locations in Thailand.
• Distributor partnerships — for importers and foodservice distributors carrying American lines.
• Retail and supermarket consolidation — an American grocery range without single-supplier minimums.
• Export warehousing and 3PL — dry, chilled and frozen under one roof in Georgia.
• All export services — the full picture of what we handle before a container sails.
• Beef and protein export — U.S. beef, poultry and seafood, including halal programmes, with plant eligibility confirmed for each market.

Useful reading: Export documentation, in plain English  ·  Container consolidation for food importers  ·  How to become a distributor partner  · How franchise export works ·  all export guides

Become Our Distributor Partner in Thailand

Tell us about your market coverage and the products you are looking for, and we will be in touch about a distribution program.