Baker Transforms Humble Pandan Leaf Into Premium Product

Entrepreneur Yui-Veena Tasnai has successfully transformed ordinary pandan leaf into a premium product ready to compete in global markets. Initially a baker importing French butter and Belgian chocolate, she pivoted during the COVID-19 pandemic to embrace local Thai ingredients, choosing pandan leaf for its accessibility, fast growth, and distinctly Thai aroma. When her father, the original pandan farmer, suffered an accident, she nearly gave up but continued under his guidance, gradually learning to cultivate and expand the crop.

She partnered with organic farmers in Phichit province, establishing clear standards for leaf harvesting, size, age, and timing with documented SOPs. The partnership benefits farmers with supplementary income while ensuring quality raw materials. Her current network includes about 10 farmers, with plans to expand further toward official organic certification. She recently purchased an additional 4 rai of land to build a learning center and dedicate 1 rai specifically for pandan cultivation as a sustainable production base and educational resource.

Pandan's key advantage is that one planting yields harvests for 10 years, with new shoots emerging every month after cutting. Her brand has expanded internationally, recently achieving top-three rankings in Hong Kong through a startup support program. Fresh pandan exports command higher prices but face quality issues from freezing that degrades aroma and color. In response, she developed premium pandan powder that retains approximately 80% of fresh leaf flavor and aroma while solving storage problems—opening significant opportunities for Hong Kong and Chinese markets.