Bangkok--26 Jun--Aziam Burson-Marsteller
Oishi Group PLC (“Oishi”) announced a change in its daily operations with the appointment of Mr. Marut Buranasetkul as a new Director and the President of Oishi Group effective August 1, 2013. Mr. Matthew Kichodhan, who will hand over the daily operations of Oishi to Mr. Buranasetkul, will remain on as a member of Oishi’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Matthew Kichodhan, President of Oishi Group PLC, welcomed Mr. Buranasetkul to the Oishi Group, said Mr. Buranasetkul is very familiar with Oishi’s business as he has been a member of Oishi’s executive committee for the past year in preparation for the transition. As a senior management from Thai Beverage PLC (“ThaiBev”), he has worked closely with the Oishi team. There will be a seamless leadership change that will help Mr. Buranasetkul to drive Oishi to achieve the upcoming milestones on the company’s journey into the future.
Prior to joining Oishi Group, Mr Buranasetkul is a Senior Vice President of ThaiBev responsible for Marketing. He was previously responsible for ThaiBev’s non-alcohol business and later headed up the company’s Corporate Support function.
During Mr. Kichodhan’s 3-year tenure as President, the Oishi Group has established itself as one of Thailand’s most innovative companies. As a professional entrepreneur, he played an instrumental role in moving the new Oishi Group forward. Under Mr. Kichodhan, the company has performed strongly with sales growing from 9.2 billion Baht in 2010 to 11.8 billion Baht in 2012.
Mr. Kichodhan added that Oishi will continue on its path to become a regional beverage player in the Japanese-style non-alcohol beverage segment for a new generation of healthy consumers. Oishi’s long-term plan to hit a target of 31 billion Baht in sales in five years by expanding its Beverage and Foods business remains firmly on track, with sales approaching 14 billion Baht in 2013.
Oishi’s food business, which is under the guidance of Mr. Paisarn Aowsathaporn, Executive Vice-President of Food Division, is expanding according to plan with 50 additional restaurants opening this year. The Food Division’s 5-year growth target is annual sales of 13 billion Baht, with 2013 sales expected to reach over six billion Baht. Oishi’s food business has expanded beyond restaurants and into snacks, chilled, and frozen foods sold in Thailand, and will be transformed by regional growth in the near future.
The company’s beverage business is also poised for major growth under the leadership of Mr. Aniruth Mahathorn, Executive Vice-President of Beverage Division. Its 2013 target of over seven billion Baht is anticipated to reach over 18 billion Baht in annual sales in five years as Oishi becomes a major regional non-alcohol beverage player. The recent signing of F&N as a distributor in Malaysia and Singapore, as well as increasing sales in Europe through ThaiBev’s international marketing channels, will transform Oishi from a domestic company into a strong international player in green tea and other Japanese-style beverages.
Mr. Marut Buranasetkul, who is a Director of Oishi and will become the President of the company at the beginning of August, 2013, said that Oishi is an integral part of ThaiBev Group with a clear direction of becoming a leading regional beverage player. He said his priority will be expanding Oishi’s Food & Beverage Divisions within the region while maintaining the company’s market dominance in Thailand, adding that Oishi’s objective is to build a long-term, sustainable, profitable operation throughout the ASEAN region.
The Oishi Group Board of Directors yesterday also approved an investment of 1,150 million Baht for a new production line for the company’s Cold Aseptic facility. It will provide additional capacity of 15 million bottles per month on top of the current capacity of 60 million bottles per month.