As part of the activities of the 2026 Chile–ASEAN Business Meeting, the Chilean delegation—comprising 28 companies and trade associations and led by ProChile—sought to strengthen trade ties with key potential buyers.
The day began with a visit to GO Wholesale—a store catering to food industry professionals, HORECA businesses, and small retailers—owned by Grupo Central, one of Thailand’s most influential conglomerates.
The agenda then continued with a Lunch & Learn session with CP Group, another of Southeast Asia’s leading conglomerates, which operates major supermarket chains such as Makro, Lotus, and the 7-Eleven network in Thailand.
At this event, senior executives from various units of the group—including CP Foods, CP All, Makro, and Lotus’s—led by Lester Khoo, Director of International Affairs at CP Group, presented their business model, sourcing criteria, and consumer trends, fostering an opportunity for direct dialogue with Chilean companies.
The delegation then attended the “Meet the Buyers ASEAN” event, where representatives from Landers Supermarkets (Philippines), New Viet Dairy (Vietnam), and the Seafood Industries Association of Singapore (Singapore) held meetings with the Chilean delegation, strengthening direct ties with strategic buyers.
Aquaculture Innovation Agenda
Ignacio Fernández, Executive Director of ProChile, along with representatives from the companies IMENCO and Desert King, took part in a technical visit to the Department of Aquaculture at Kasetsart University, a leading institution in aquaculture research in Thailand, which is studying fish growth, nutritional management, and economic viability to assess whether salmon farming could be commercially viable in Thailand.
This research has already led to a specific instance of bilateral cooperation: the recent export of 20,000 Atlantic salmon eggs from Chile.
“This visit reflects how we are moving from a commercial relationship toward a partnership based on knowledge, innovation, and trust. Chile seeks not only to export products, but also capabilities and solutions, as demonstrated by this joint aquaculture project, which opens up new opportunities for the sector’s development in the region,” says Fernández.
The delegation was received by Suriyan Tunkijjanukij, assistant professor and dean of the School of Fisheries, and project leader Professor Wara Taparhudee.
Thailand imported approximately $744 million worth of salmon in 2025, with Chile ranking as the second-largest global supplier, exporting $105 million to this market—a 30% increase from 2024. Furthermore, salmon was the top export to the ASEAN bloc, totaling $320 million in 2025, a 21.8% increase from the previous year.
Read the original article on the ProChile website.
