Consumer products/ Kao

Editorial staff

Kao Corporation (Kao), a leading global manufacturer of consumer and industrial chemical products, and Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), have signed a memorandum understanding (MoU) to collaborate in co-creating innovative sustainable consumer and chemical products to create a green community for Thai consumers.

Kao will collaborate with CP to provide eco-friendly consumer and chemical products, focusing on a sustainability approach, rooted in ESG principles, with an emphasis on protecting the health and hygiene of Thais.

(left) Mr Yuji Shimizu, president of Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co and Mr Yoshihiro Hasebe, representative director, president and chief executive officer of Kao Corporation of Japan

Yoshihiro Hasebe, representative director, president and chief executive officer, Kao Corporation of Japan, said: “This is a significant partnership between two leading national companies, aimed at fulfilling Kao’s purpose of ‘Protecting Future Lives’ by providing innovative solutions for building a sustainable organization."

Kao’s mid-term management plan, K27, focuses on developing globally competitive businesses, guided by Kao’s sustainability strategy (ESG) or the ‘Kirei Lifestyle,’ which emphasizes ‘Making Life Beautiful’ both inside and out, for its consumers every day.

Kao and CP have agreed to explore the following areas of collaboration. They include the collaboration in a new house brand for CP Group that puts sustainability at the forefront with product and innovation support from Kao Group.

More environmentally friendly products from Kao Corporation will directly import for sale exclusively in CP Group.

With strengths of both, they will collaborate to address social issues and explore further collaboration opportunities with chemical business.

In addition, they will collaborate to develop “Club Model” concept for shelf-ready display and pallet display, for use with specialty products sold exclusively through CP Axtra.

Soopakij Chearavanont, chairman of CP Group said: “We are delighted to collaborate with a global partner like Kao, to jointly drive sustainability innovation in Thailand by developing consumer products that meet the sustainability needs of the Thais. Through this global collaboration, we are confident that this will undoubtedly benefit Thai people and Thailand.”

Thai consumers can access to safe and environmentally friendly products through CP’s retail and distribution network, including 7-Eleven convenience stores, Lotus’s retail outlets, and Makro.

Yuji Shimizu , president of Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co, said that it is the first of its kind for such collaboration. Thailand was chosen at the first country because it is the first Kao international market that has established longest time in Thailand. It is one of top five important market in the world and top three in Southeast market. It is the production base to
produce Kao products to Southeast Asia, Taiwan and some for Japan. Moreover, Thais pay more attention in environmental friendly products than in the past.

In addition to produce house brand products for CP Group, the company will extend to produce more Kao’s environmentally friendly products to market in Thailand. Its products have to 100% recycle by 2027 and reach net zero waste plastic packaging within 2040.