Tao Kae Noi (Thai: เถ้าแก่น้อย) is a Thai snack made from crispy seaweed. It was started in 2004 by Itthipat Peeradechapan, who was 19 years old at the time.

Taokaenoi Food & Marketing PCL (SET: TKN, บริษัท เถ้าแก่น้อย ฟู๊ดแอนด์มาร์เก็ตติ้ง จำกัด) is a company that makes and sells crispy seaweed snacks. It also operates three main businesses: snacks, restaurants, and seasoning powder. The company produces seaweed that is fried, grilled, baked, crispy, roasted, or tempura-style. It also makes souvenirs, roll farm products, corn snacks, mini breads, corns, fruits, and potato sticks.

In 2004, Tao Kae Noi began selling its seaweed snacks in 7-Eleven stores in Thailand. Today, the company sells its products in more than 40 countries worldwide. It became publicly traded in 2015 after raising 1.4 billion baht (about USD 39.1 million) through an initial public offering.

The name "Tao Kae Noi" means "little boss." It was chosen because Itthipat Peeradechapan, also known as Tob, the company’s CEO, started the business when he was only 19 years old. The story of how the company was founded inspired the 2011 movie The Billionaire.

History

In 2001, Tob began studying at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce when he was 17 years old. That same year, his family faced financial problems, which led to bankruptcy and a debt of 10 million US dollars. To help his family, Tob sold his gaming ID for a large amount of money and thought about how to use the money to improve his family’s financial situation.

Before starting Tao Kae Noi seaweed, Tob first tried selling chestnuts. He could not afford to buy a franchise, so he talked with the owner of the chestnut brand to get permission to rent the chestnut roaster for his business. On the day he signed a contract to rent a selling space at a shopping mall, his father told a friend, “My son is going to become a little boss.” This phrase made an impression on Tob, and he chose the brand name “Taokae Noi,” which means “little boss.”

In less than a year, Tob expanded the chestnut franchise from one store to over 30 stores. He also began selling other imported items, such as dried longan, lychee, and seaweed. The fried seaweed became the most popular product, selling better than the chestnuts. This success encouraged Tob to focus more on the seaweed business.

Tob tried selling seaweed by packing it in plastic bags and sending samples to different stores. One day, he visited a 7-Eleven store and realized that selling through convenience stores could help him avoid managing product distribution himself. He used customer feedback to improve his seaweed product to meet 7-Eleven’s requirements. When his product met the standards, 7-Eleven asked him to make enough seaweed to sell in 3,000 stores within three months. At the age of 20, Tob made an important decision to sell his 30 chestnut stores and use the money to invest in a seaweed factory. Delivering his seaweed products to 7-Eleven’s distribution center marked the start of Tao Kae Noi’s growth.

Ingredients

Taokaenoi seaweed snacks use seaweed as the main ingredient, with palm oil, salt, pepper, and flavor enhancers added. Other ingredients in different products and flavors may include chili, seafood powder made from squid and shrimp, spice mix containing garlic, white pepper, and coriander seeds, hydrolyzed soy protein made from soybeans, maltodextrin, salt, and caramel, and smoked flavor powder that includes salt, tapioca starch, smoke oil (natural flavor), and cellulose powder.

Nutritional information

Taokaenoi is considered a healthy snack. Each serving of Tao Kae Noi crispy seaweed big sheet in the classic flavor has 21 calories, 0.6 grams of saturated fat, 20 milligrams of sodium, 0.6 grams of protein (Nx6.25), 0.5 grams of dietary fiber, and 0 grams of sugars. These snacks also contain important vitamins and minerals, such as 45.03 micrograms of Vitamin A, 0.23 milligrams of Vitamin C, 0.01 milligrams of Vitamin B1, 0.04 milligrams of Vitamin B2, 0.16 milligrams of iron, and 1.70 milligrams of calcium.

Marketing

Tob first considered other snack options but later decided to focus only on seaweed-based products. He wanted to create a strong brand identity, similar to how the word "Mama" is widely used in Thailand to refer to instant noodles, regardless of the brand. To connect the brand name "Taokaenoi" with seaweed, Tob used a well-known English teacher. The name was chosen because many Thai customers were not familiar with the English word "seaweed." This helped people understand that "Taokaenoi" meant seaweed snacks.

In 2005, Taokaenoi began selling its products outside Thailand by working with local exporters to reach markets in Hong Kong and Singapore. These countries had small populations but high buying power, which made them good choices for expansion.

When Taokaenoi products appeared in Singaporean grocery stores, Tob saw a chance to grow. He used direct marketing, such as sending emails to shopping malls, instead of traditional methods like food fairs. He also contacted importer and distributor companies directly, which helped bring his products to more stores. Today, Taokaenoi sells snacks in many countries, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, and others.

Taokaenoi and Glico biscuits partnered to create Pretz Tao Kae Noi nori seaweed. Glico handles distribution through modern retail channels, while Taokaenoi sells the product through its own stores and traditional shops. This partnership started in Thailand but may expand internationally in the future. Glico currently exports to eight countries in Southeast Asia, and Taokaenoi products are available in over 40 countries worldwide.