TOPS, the food business under Central Retail Corporation PCL (SET: CRC), is accelerating its sustainability agenda by collaborating with the Scholars of Sustenance Foundation (SOS Thailand) to roll out the Food for Good Deed programme.
Now in its sixth year, the initiative is driven by the mission ‘Zero Food Waste’ — to minimise or eliminate food waste by transforming surplus food into wholesome meals that are clean, safe, and nutritious, and distributing them to communities. Since its launch, the programme has successfully delivered over 6.7 million surplus meals from supermarkets to communities.
This year, TOPS has expanded participation to an additional 44 branches in both urban and regional areas, bringing the total to 106 branches nationwide. This reaffirms TOPS’ strategic commitment to efficient food management, reducing potential food waste — a contributor to global warming — while enhancing people’s quality of life and driving community sustainability in tangible ways. For the greater goal, TOPS has set a target to reduce more than 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent generated from food waste by 2026.
Mr. Chakkit Chatupanyachotikul, Head of Marketing, Public Relations & CSV of Central Food Retail under CRC, stated that, “Today, food waste has become one of the world’s major challenges, with far-reaching impacts on the environment, society, and quality of life. According to the latest report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2024, the global average amount of food waste increased from 74 kg per person per year to 79 kg per person per year. Alarmingly, Thailand recorded a figure of 86 kg per person per year, significantly higher than many ASEAN countries.
This highlights the urgency for Thailand to adopt effective, sustainable measures to tackle the problem. As a leader in food retail, TOPS is committed to being part of the solution. That is why we have partnered with SOS Thailand on the ‘Food for Good Deed’ initiative to ensure edible food is not discarded unnecessarily and to continuously drive our ‘Zero Food Waste’ mission for over 6 years. Since 2019, we have delivered over 6.7 million meals of surplus, high-quality food from our supermarkets to underprivileged communities in Bangkok and provincial areas, which has helped reduce carbon dioxide emissions from food waste by as much as 3,570 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.”
“This year, we have expanded our collaboration under the project to cover an additional 44 TOPS branches nationwide, bringing the total to 106 branches. This ensures that food still fit for consumption is put to good use. This project is a key part of TOPS’ practice to reduce food waste across our retail chain, from upstream to downstream. Upstream, we start by implementing AI technology to more accurately analyze and forecast production and sales volumes, thereby reducing leftover food more effectively.
All the way downstream, we are building a conscious mindset to help reduce food waste by inviting consumers to become heroes and adopt a new perspective. Through our “Food Hero, Taste not Waste” campaign, customers can purchase products that are near their expiration date, but still of good quality, at a special discounted price, preventing these items from being needlessly discarded.
All of these efforts reflect TOPS’ commitment to responsible food management, as we continue to drive sustainability in a tangible and ongoing manner.”
Recently, TOPS organised a Food for Good Deed activity at Lak Si Canal Community, Lak Si district, Bangkok, together with TOPSTERS-our employee volunteers. Quality ingredients from TOPS — including vegetables and meats — were cooked into fresh, safe, and nutritious hot meals such as somtam, boiled pork belly with dipping sauce, fried chicken, spicy chicken salad, and salmon tom yam, among others, which were distributed to local residents and nearby communities.
In addition to distributing meals, TOPS also engaged in dialogue with community members to better understand their food-related needs, ensuring more targeted support. Students from Dusit Thani College also joined, demonstrating and sharing knowledge with the community on cooking techniques, creativity in menu design, and co-cooking alongside TOPSTER volunteers.
This fostered stronger employee–community engagement, reflecting shared responsibility between the company and the surrounding society under the ‘12 Missions to Sustainable Retail’ strategy. It also reinforced the belief that sustainability is achievable through collective effort, in line with the ‘Small Acts Together’ concept and Central Retail’s CRC Care philosophy.
“Furthermore, TOPS remains committed to creating value across society, community, and the environment through various environmental initiatives. These include the adoption of electric-powered delivery trucks; switching beer packaging from glass bottles to aluminium cans on Koh Pha-ngan; and upcycling old vinyl banners from TOPS DAILY stores into new ‘Pretty Ugly’ shopping bags — all supporting efficient resource use,” concluded Mr. Chakkit.
