Thailand’s Ice-Cream Powerhouse Success: A Lesson for Culinary Students

By Nash Nithi

The world of frozen desserts is being rewritten, and perhaps unexpectedly so, by Thailand. According to a recent article in the South China Morning Post, Thailand has surged to become Asia’s leading exporter of ice-cream, thanks to clever free-trade deals, robust logistics and local ingenuity.

For students and aspiring culinary professionals enrolling in the Diploma in Culinary Arts programme at Reliance College, this success story offers more than inspiration. It signals opportunities, relevance and a new competitive standard in the culinary world.

Thailand’s Sweet Strategy

Why has Thailand achieved this remarkable feat? A few factors stand out:

Tariff erosion & trade-access – Thailand’s exports of ice-cream have been buoyed by a network of free-trade agreements (FTAs). The article notes that a “blizzard of free trade deals” helped Thai ice-cream exports surge by more than 10 per cent annually since 2020.
Efficient supply chain & manufacturing hub – Major dairy and ice-cream players (including foreign investors) have tapped into Thailand’s advanced cold-chain infrastructure and freight networks, enabling cost-effective production and global shipping.
Local identity, global appeal – Smaller Thai brands, such as the boutique Lamoon Group, highlight authentic Thai ingredients (coconut, tropical fruits) and storytelling about farmers and provenance. This resonates with premium export markets.
Strong growth metrics – According to industry data, Thailand averaged about US$106 million per year in ice-cream exports between 2020-24, with growth averaging around 11 per cent annually.

These combined elements—trade access, manufacturing strength, brand identity and growth momentum—have placed Thailand in a position of global strength. The South China Morning Post article even suggests Thailand now ranks fourth in the world for ice-cream exports.

Why It Matters for Culinary Students at Reliance College

What does all this mean for someone enrolled in the Diploma in Culinary Arts at Reliance? Quite a lot. Here’s how:

Export-ready food production skills – The export story emphasises scale, consistency, quality control and logistics. As a student, mastering recipe standardisation, shelf life, packaging, hygiene and supply-chain awareness matters.
Global-flavour thinking – Thai brands succeed by combining local ingredients with global appeal. Culinary professionals need to think of flavours, textures, presentation and cultural storytelling that transcend borders.
Entrepreneurial mindset – The boutique Lamoon example shows the value of brand identity and storytelling. Reliance’s programme can equip you with not only culinary skills but also the creative enterprise mindset needed to build a product or brand.
Emerging regional demand – With ASEAN and other markets opening via tariff reductions, there are growing opportunities for regional food innovation, frozen desserts included. A Diploma in Culinary Arts provides a solid foundation to engage in this growth arena.
Pathways and innovation – The industry is no longer just about making food. It’s about innovation (new flavours, formats, packaging) and global logistics. Culinary students who understand production systems, ingredient sourcing and market trends will have a competitive edge.

Putting Theory Into Practical Action

If you’re studying or looking to enroll in Reliance' Diploma in Culinary Arts, here are some actionable steps to connect your learning to this real-world trend:

Study export-grade product design
Within your coursework, think about how a simple dessert could be scaled for export: sourcing, shelf stability, packaging, brand story.

Research regional supply chains
Use Thailand’s ice-cream success as a case study: how raw ingredients (e.g., tropical fruits, coconut milk) are sourced, how manufacturing and cold chain infrastructure support exports.

Develop your own “flavour story”
Take inspiration from Lamoon: design a dessert or frozen treat that highlights Malaysian/local produce (e.g., durian, rambutan, gula Melaka) and craft a narrative around it.

Explore trade and market access
Even if you’re not in business school, understanding how tariff reduction, FTAs and trade logistics affect food exports can inform your culinary innovation and target markets.

Consider pathways to higher qualification or specialisation
After your Diploma, you might explore courses in food production management, export logistics or food business entrepreneurship, building on the strong culinary foundation.

Thailand’s rise as Asia’s top ice-cream exporter is more than a sweet headline. It’s a vivid demonstration of how culinary craft, supply-chain infrastructure, trade access and brand identity converge in global food commerce.

For students at Reliance College’s Diploma in Culinary Arts programme, this story is inspiring. It illustrates how culinary training today must prepare you for a world where production scale, export readiness and global-flavour thinking are just as crucial as the art of cooking itself.