Canned tuna/Sealect

Editorial staff

Select, Thailand’s number one canned tuna brand under Thai Union Group Plc, a global seafood leader, has announced strategic initiatives to elevate brand awareness, broaden its customer reach across all age groups as part of its plan to boost its sales in Thailand to reach one billion baht within 2030.

The company expects that sales of Select canned fish to reach 700 million baht in 2024, up 5% over the same period last year.

In the first 10 months of this year, Sealect canned fish achieved sales of 520 million, equivalent to approximately 230 million cans, largely due to the overwhelming success of the new Sealect x Sesame Street limited edition collection of its classic tuna canned fish since September this year.

Natthavee Wachirataveepaat, general manager emerging markets at Thai Union Group, said that
Thailand’s retail canned tuna market was valued at 703 million baht as of September, growing at an annual rate of approximately 2.6 % , according to Nielsen IQ.

Sealect tuna achieved retail channel revenue of 305 million baht in the first nine months of 2024, up 3.2 % from the same period last year. Due to the recovery of hotel and tourism business from Covid-19, Sealect’s revenue via food service channel rose by 14 % to 51 million baht, and online sales contributed over 5 million.

‘’It has a huge opportunity to increase tuna canned fish consumption in Thailand due to the household penetration rate is only 11.2 . While the average per capita tuna consumption in Thailand remains low at 120 grams per year, significantly lower than 1.25 kilograms in Europe, therefore, we still see significant growth potential,’’ she said, adding that the canned fish demand resumes growth this year after slightly declined during post-Covid and canned tuna has clearly growth when compared to other canned fish categories.

Sealect has controlled 57.1% market share of the retail segment in Thailand’s canned tuna market, growing at a rate of 3.4%, which outpaces the 7.8-billion-baht canned fish, which grew only 1%.

Now, two main Sealect’s product categories are available in the market including ready-to-eat such as chili pastes, spreads with crackers, curry pastes, and toppings, and ready-to-cook products including the classic Sealect range, Sealect premium, and Sealect Fit with 0% saturated fat, aligning with the rising trend of health-conscious consumers.

To drive this growth, the company has launched targeted marketing strategies across online and offline channels and formed partnerships with global partners such as Sesame Street and popular Thai restaurants like Jones Salad. These efforts aim to boost awareness about the nutritional benefits of tuna among all age groups, with a target of achieving 8% growth over the next six years.

To achieve its goal, Sealect will apply four key strategies include product innovation through new product launches and health-oriented campaigns. It will build strong customer relationships through long-term Customer Relationship Management (CRM) strategies.

Moreover, it will apply data-driven marketing to analyze and respond to consumer behavior with tailored products, innovations, and promotions, and strategic partnership collaboration with global brands like Sesame Street to tap into new consumer segments.

The Sealect x Sesame Street limited edition collection has been a resounding success after collaborating in September this year.

"We prioritize understanding consumer behavior to differentiate our brand to be a lifestyle brand and effectively engage with our target markets. By focusing on consumer insights and market trends, we can create products that resonate with our audience," Ms Natthawee said.

" With over 32 years in the Thai market, Sealect is committed to continuously introducing new product quality to meet evolving consumer needs. Combined with our dedication to health and wellness, it will drive tuna consumption in Thailand and strengthen our position as the leading canned tuna brand.