NEW YORK — Thai products have been sold through offline channels in major Asian supermarkets in the United States, such as H Mart. This is the first time that over 60 Thai products are available on H Mart’s online platform.
On September 2, Wuttikrai Leeveeraphan, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, told “Khaosod” during a visit to New York that the International Trade Promotion Department of the Ministry of Commerce, in cooperation with the H Mart store in Long Island City, participated in an online in-store promotion event on Sunday.
This initiative aims to raise awareness of Thai products and expand distribution channels for Thai products in the U.S. market, make it easier for consumers in the United States to purchase Thai goods, and increase the market share of Thai products in the United States.
This initiative is in line with the government’s policy to expand Thai product markets to target markets in various forms, including primary, secondary and new markets, to keep pace with global trends.
The Department of International Trade Promotion and the Trade Promotion Office in New York have brought more than 60 Thai products, such as sauces, snacks, beverages and jasmine rice, to participate in this event. These products will be promoted on both offline and online platforms at www.hmart.com/thai and can be purchased in-store.
In addition, the team took the opportunity to talk to H Mart management and ask for support in promoting new potential Thai products to be sold more widely both offline and online at H Mart. They also asked for cooperation in organizing activities to promote Thai products on H Mart’s website through various campaigns during major festivals.
They inquired about H Mart’s plans to promote the sales of Thai products in the US market in cooperation with the Department of International Trade Promotion in 2025, as well as any challenges and obstacles in promoting Thai products in the US market.
Phusit Ratanakul Serirengrit, Director General of the International Trade Promotion Department, also invited H Mart’s executives and purchasing department to participate in THAIFEX–Anuga Asia 2025, scheduled for May 2025. This would provide an opportunity to meet with Thai manufacturers and entrepreneurs and conduct trade negotiations to import Thai products for sale at H Mart.
H Mart is the largest Asian-American supermarket in the United States, selling groceries from around the world, particularly Asia, but also South America and Europe. H Mart has a company, Grand BK, which handles the sourcing and importing of products for H Mart. The headquarters are located in New Jersey. Currently, H Mart has 74 stores in 14 states and generated sales of about 66.6 billion baht last year, equivalent to about 1.93 billion dollars.
Currently, Thai products are sold both through imports from traders/importers and through direct imports. Directly imported products, which are coordinated by the Trade Promotion Office in New York, include frozen seafood, processed seafood, spices and rice.
Companies importing products from Thailand, such as coconut milk, canned foods, canned fruits and spices, are worth approximately 300 million baht annually. These products are also sold online through the company’s website in addition to the normal distribution channels.
This collaboration is expected to increase the total value of trade across all channels to over 400 million baht or approximately 11.7 million dollars.
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