Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (SET: CPF), Thailand’s flagship agribusiness and food conglomerate, is steering through AI disruption with innovation and tech-upskill to remain competitive in the market and drive long-term growth for the company and CP Group
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the CP Innovation Exposition 2026, CPF Chief Executive Officer Prasit Boondoungprasert emphasized that the company evaluates its operations through a multi-year lens, looking past quarterly livestock cycles to build a resilient, technology-driven multinational enterprise. He noted that the company remains fully committed to its core livestock footprint, supported by proprietary genetics, advanced biosecurity platforms, and continuous efficiency gains.
To fund its next phase of transformation, CPF has outlined an annual capital expenditure budget of approximately ฿20 billion to ฿25 billion for 2027. A substantial portion of this capital will be directed into AI engineering, software infrastructure, robotics, and smart farm equipment. The company is also planning a massive deployment of AI-enabled vision systems and smart cameras across all production facilities in 2027 to automate quality inspection and accelerate real-time decision-making.
Operationally, CPF is embedding AI across every functional unit, from automated sales pricing algorithms developed with global consultants to feed formulation and factory engineering. The company’s feed mill division represents its most advanced automated operation, where AI now facilitates direct machine-to-machine communication. Production equipment autonomously adjusts schedules by analyzing real-time electricity tariffs and solar power generation to optimize energy consumption. To support this transition, CPF is restructuring its talent framework into a tiered AI hierarchy, pairing internal user training with top-tier global technology partnerships.
In global trade, Mr. Prasit detailed CPF’s strategy for navigating raw material cost disparities against major competitors such as Brazil. With Brazilian corn priced at ฿5 to ฿6 per kilogram compared to Thailand’s ฿12 per kilogram—a commodity representing 60% to 70% of poultry feed costs—competing directly on fresh chicken exports is economically unviable. Consequently, CPF focuses 100% of its export strategy on value-added processed poultry. By combining fully automated primary processing with skilled labor for custom, high-precision cuts required by Japanese and European retailers, CPF maintains a dominant edge in premium overseas segments where supply reliability and strict specifications outweigh baseline commodity pricing.
CPF’s international strategy balances high-volume fresh meat production in emerging markets with steady RTE market share growth in developed regions. Across regional markets, the company continues to scale operations in the Philippines—where meat prices command a premium of over 20% compared to Thailand despite lower average incomes.
Regarding the planned initial public offering (IPO) of its Vietnamese subsidiary, management confirmed that the application remains under review by the State Securities Commission (SSC) of Vietnam, with execution depending entirely on official regulatory approval timelines.
Looking ahead, CPF is backing its market expansion with advanced food technology and biotechnology research. In collaboration with top academic institutions, the company is deepening its research into enzymes, probiotics, precision nutrition, and low-sugar, low-sodium formulations that retain full flavor profiles. CPF is also capitalizing on the surging global demand for high-protein foods across Asia, Europe, and North America, positioning its product lines to capture long-term health and wellness trends.
As AI becomes a part of daily lives and every business units, Mr. Prasit praised CP Group Senior Chairman Dhanin Chearavanont for his vision as the driving force behind the conglomerate’s digital transformation. Despite his veteran status, the Senior Chairman has personally traveled to China and the United States to meet with young AI pioneers. Under the chairman’s leadership, AI has become the primary topic across group meetings, accounting for 70% to 80% of executive agendas. Mr. Dhanin has established a firm corporate doctrine that the era of “high quality at a high price” is over, mandating that advanced technology and AI must enable CPF to produce premium at affordable, globally competitive prices.
