Why Thailand is an export market worth watching

What happens when a market better known for chicken, pork and seafood begins embracing premium beef cuts, global food trends and new dining experiences?

According to CPF Australia’s Sam Gill, Thailand is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting growth stories for Australian red meat exports.

For many Australians, Thailand is synonymous with holidays, beaches and street food.

However, beneath the well-known tourism industry lies a sophisticated and increasingly diversified economy, and one that is creating new opportunities for Australian beef and lamb.

Speaking on MLA's On the Ground podcast, Sam said Thailand's rise as a red meat destination had accelerated in recent years, and was supported by economic growth, changing consumer tastes and the long-term benefits of the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement.

"The frozen market has grown and continues to grow," Sam said.

"In the last two years, it doubled in size."

Growth was also evident in chilled beef with Thailand now one of South-East Asia's most significant chilled beef markets.

A market coming of age

Sam works within the global agrifood arm of Thailand-based conglomerate CP Group.

A business spanning food production, retail, telecommunications, finance and infrastructure across more than 20 countries.

His role focuses on exporting Australian products into Thailand, which gives him a front-row view of how consumer demand is evolving.

Traditionally, beef has occupied only a small share of Thailand's protein consumption, overshadowed by poultry, pork and seafood. That trend is beginning to shift.

A younger generation of consumers, increasingly influenced by global food culture, is driving greater interest in beef-based dining experiences.

"People are embracing global trends," Sam said.

"K-pop, K-drama, Japanese food culture, China's hot pot. All of these different meal types are starting to blend into Thailand."

As international cuisines become more commonplace, so too does demand for ingredients that support them, including Australian beef.

The value of consistency

Australia's reputation continues to provide a competitive advantage.

For Thai buyers and consumers alike, consistency, food safety and reliable supply remain some of the strongest selling points for Australian product.

The free trade agreement also delivered a structural advantage to help Australian exporters compete effectively and encouraged long-term market development.

Rather than being limited to opportunistic frozen sales, exporters can now build relationships across both chilled and frozen categories and create a more mature and resilient trading environment.

"It's been able to develop a chilled beef market which wasn't there before," Sam said.

New cuts, new opportunities

The clearest sign of Thailand's growing sophistication as a beef market is its willingness to embrace cuts that once had limited appeal.

One standout example is the rump cap.

"Thailand is now the largest importer of Australian rump caps in the world," Sam said.

The market has overtaken traditional buyers including the United States and China, and now imports roughly double the volume purchased by Brazil year to date in June 2026.

The shift highlighted an important trend that Thai customers are increasingly discovering and valuing a wider range of beef cuts.

"It's an example of the market discovering a new cut, embracing it, utilising it and growing it," Sam said.

Hot pot and sukiyaki-style dining had also become major demand drivers.

Around one-third of Australia's beef exports into Thailand consist of frozen brisket. Reflecting strong demand from foodservice operators and consumers seeking affordable, flavourful cuts suited to shared dining experiences.

Lamb carving out a niche

While lamb remains a relatively small category, Sam saw encouraging signs for future growth.

Tourism plays a role with visitors from India and the Middle East helping create demand for lamb-based dishes. Younger Thai consumers are also becoming more open to trying unfamiliar proteins.

To support greater acceptance, industry partners had focused heavily on sampling and education.

"When we run our own events, we will always have one or two lamb dishes in there to just get people to test and try," Sam said.

Presenting lamb in familiar dishes that customers can sample without preconceived notions helps to challenge perceptions and introduce lamb to consumers who may never have previously considered it.

Building capability across the industry

Sam believed one of the most important elements of MLA's work in Thailand had been supporting the broader development of the local beef sector.

Through initiatives such as the Aussie Meat Academy, industry training had extended beyond promoting Australian product to helping strengthen processing, butchery, food safety and cut utilisation skills throughout the Thai industry.

As beef remained a small category overall, any growth in consumer demand benefited both local producers and exporters.

"Any growth in beef helps Thailand, but it also helps Australia," Sam said.

Alongside technical capability building, celebrity chefs, restaurant partnerships and MLA's Lambassadors and Aussie Beef Mates programs continue helping tell the Australian provenance story to consumers.

A market worth watching

Few events illustrate Thailand's growing importance better than THAIFEX.

What was once considered a largely domestic trade show has evolved into a major international food exhibition, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors and increasing numbers of global exhibitors.

For Sam, it reflects a country that is rapidly expanding its role within regional and global food markets.

And while Bangkok remains the primary hub for imported beef and lamb, growth is increasingly being seen across regional centres including Phuket, Krabi, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and Udon Thani.

"Bangkok's definitely important," Sam said.

"But that wider spread is also where a lot of the population are."

As Thailand's economy diversifies, its middle class expands and consumers continue exploring new cuisines, Australian exporters have an opportunity to establish an even stronger presence.

What was once a niche destination for Australian red meat is becoming something much more significant – a dynamic market with growing demand, expanding channels and an appetite for discovering what's next.