Kore Dong: From a Rented Kitchen to a 275 Million Baht Food Empire

Thailand's food sector has recently witnessed the intersection of traditional flavors with modern business models. 'Kore Dong' (Kore Dong) stands out as an innovative brand aiming to solve the quality and trust issues in the pickled or marinated seafood market. Phim Patis Anun, the brand's co-founder, recounts the story of the company starting from a small rented kitchen and transforming into a giant business with an annual revenue of 275 million Baht (approximately 7.7 million dollars). Initially, an approach was adopted that focused on consumers' fundamental problems rather than creating viral menus. This unique vision laid the foundation for the company's growth not only in Thailand but also in international markets in the future. As a result, Kore Dong draws attention as an organization that both modernizes traditional flavors and redefines market standards.

Six years ago, when the company was founded, the pickled or marinated seafood market had a highly fragmented structure. Products in the market were generally sold in simple plastic bags or transparent containers, which increased consumers' concerns about hygiene and product quality. Phim and her partner decided to solve this problem by combining their previous experiences in online fashion sales and R&D (Research and Development), respectively. The couple blended modern digital marketing strategies with food formulation expertise to directly target the pain points of the existing market. Thus, they created a new business model that would deliver fresh seafood to consumers safely and in compliance with standards. From its very first day, the company envisioned having the infrastructure to distribute its products nationwide, rather than being an ordinary street vendor.

The Kovid-19 pandemic, which coincided with the brand's launch, caused physical stores and shopping mall outlets to close, disrupting the company's physical operations. However, this crisis opened a window of opportunity for the business to change its dynamics and grow. During this challenging period, the company worked intensively for about three to six months to improve its formulas and logistics infrastructure. Phim emphasizes that being able to smoothly deliver fresh foods online nationwide was the most critical moment when their business took a leap. The crisis not only steered the company towards digital sales but also enabled them to gain significant expertise in cold chain logistics. Thanks to this agile strategy, Kore Dong stayed one step ahead of its competitors in the sector and rapidly increased its market share.

The biggest factor behind Kore Dong's success is not only the taste of the products but also the investments made in advanced packaging and food technologies. By breaking the perception of selling pickled seafood in plastic bags, the company made presenting them in clean and trust-inspiring jars a standard. Furthermore, they started using 'Shock Freeze' (Shock Freeze) technology to significantly extend the shelf life of the products. Thanks to this innovative technology, seafood that normally spoils within a few hours can maintain its freshness in a deep freezer for up to a year. The company, which also shows great care in raw material supply, imports products like salmon and sea clams, while sourcing local species such as shrimp and squid directly from Thai fishermen without intermediaries. This holistic approach, which both raises food safety standards and supports local fisheries, enabled the brand to build a strong corporate reputation.

Having achieved tremendous growth momentum in recent years, the company succeeded in reaching a sales volume of 100 million Baht in just two years. Today, the company has about 30 different product varieties (SKUs), with its most popular products being salmon, shrimp, and Korean-style pickled jellyfish. According to data, the company imports dozens of tons of salmon alone every year and sells between 600 thousand to 700 thousand jars of products annually. The company's revenue increased by approximately 70% from 2024 to 2025 alone, reaching 275 million Baht, and its net profit increased sixfold. Currently, about 65% of sales come from online platforms, while the remaining portion is obtained from physical stores, supermarket chains, and vending machines. The ability to quickly catch market trends and turn them into commercial products continues to be the most important factor in maintaining Kore Dong's competitive advantage and rising to a leadership position in the sector.