From field to freezer: Pure, natural frozen lime juice

CHIANGMAI Bioveggie Co., Ltd., established in 2011 and located in Chiang Mai, Thailand, cultivates a variety of fruits and vegetables for the Thai market. They specialise in producing natural supplement products such as vegetable tablets, gummies, herbal drinks, and probiotics. Their raw materials are sourced from the Thai Royal Project which supports agricultural technology, processing, and marketing for Thai farmers.

Bioveggie’s mission is to address oversupply issues, stabilise agricultural income for producers, and mitigate the inherent risks associated with Thai farming. They prioritise environmentally friendly production by using 100% natural bioactive ingredients and innovative dehydration technologies that retain the nutritional value of the raw materials. They recently launched a frozen lime juice that earned them many accolades and numerous innovation awards.

Speaking to FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal, Viriya Porntaweewat, managing director of Chiangmai Bioveggie shared her insights on their innovative frozen lime juice and her personal journey as a successful businesswoman. She was among Outstanding ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs in 2017.

Ms Viriya Porntaweewat, managing director, Chiangmai Bioveggie (Photo courtesy of Chiangmai BioVeggie)

What was your inspiration for developing freshly frozen lime juice?

The price of limes fluctuates drastically, reaching exorbitant highs during shortages and plummeting so low that they must be discarded when oversupplied. It is our responsibility to enhance the value of agricultural products through our innovation. We aim to produce health-conscious products tailored to consumers’ lifestyles, maximising benefits without relying on chemical additives or enhancers. The creation of frozen lime juice reflects our commitment to this inspiration.

Is there an innovative process used to produce frozen lime juice?

We collaborated with The National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC) and the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) to initiate and develop a semi-automated process that cleans raw materials with air bubbles and ozone followed by an innovative squeezing and freezing process to extend the shelf life of freshly extracted lime juice. It can be preserved in a frozen state for up to two years while maintaining the aroma and taste of the fresh lime juice.

What is your production capacity?

Currently, our production capacity is 10,000 units per day. 

How does your product differ from other lime juices currently in the market?

Our premium frozen lime juice, “Manee Manao,” is produced from 100% natural seedless limes with no preservatives, chemical substances, artificial citric acid, or bitter aftertaste. It boasts a longer extended shelf life when compared to fresh refrigerated limes in the market. Our frozen lime product maintains consistency in taste, aroma, and colour for up to two years in frozen condition and three months when chilled, while other products spoil within one week of being opened.

Our product offers convenience and immediate usability. The packaging is designed for a single defrost with a lid that stays upright for convenience. It withstands low temperatures and remains intact without cracking. It can preserve the taste and aroma while enabling defrosting over three months.

The frozen lime juice, Manee Manao is produced from 100% natural seedless limes. It does not contain preservatives, chemical substances, and artificial citric acid. The best part is that it can be preserved in frozen state for up to two years.  (Photo courtesy of Chiangmai BioVeggie)

What advantages do your customers obtain from your products?

Our main customers are health-conscious consumers and businesses: food manufacturers, cafeterias, hotels, restaurants, beverage outlets, bakeries, and ice cream parlours. We have endeavored to embrace the preferences of chefs who often resort to artificial lime substitutes, lime powder, or bottled lime. Our product provides fixed cost control from lime price fluctuations, ensures consistent distinctive aroma and flavour profiles with standardised procedures such as GHPs, HACCP, and HALAL, and minimises human error.

Our product offers convenience in food preparation and cleaning processes without peel waste disposal and excessive squeezing that alters the bitter taste. Finally, we offer better value for money when compared to fresh products due to longer shelf life and less waste. These factors make “Manee Manao” an ideal choice for crafting beverages or enhancing culinary creations.

Limes go through automatic washing, and ozone and air bubble process (Photo courtesy of Chiangmai BioVeggie)

Your organisation has received many awards not only for frozen lime juice, but for other products. Tell us about these accolades.

Through our relentless innovation efforts, culminating in successful production for distribution, our vegetable tablet was awarded 1st place in the Top Ten Innovative Business 2012 and received recognition at THAIFEX-Innovation Product and SIAL Middle East Innovation Selection 2017. In 2020, we received two prestigious innovative national awards, the Thai National Innovation Award 2020, in both the Economic sector and the Innovative organisation sector for SMEs, by the Thai National Innovation Agency (Public Organization). We were also honoured with the Thai SME National Award 2019 and the Innovative Agriculture Plus Award 2022 for our freshly frozen lime juice.

The frozen lime juice was also recognised with the Prestigious Outstanding Inventor Award of 2020 at the Thailand Synergy for Thai SMEs. In 2023, it received the Outstanding Product Design Award of the Thailand TOP SME Awards 2023.

What are some challenges in the business?

Being an SME entails high risks, especially when venturing into new markets with innovative products. The investment required for testing market feasibility is high. It takes courage to initiate action and expand our frozen lime juice exports to international markets, as our current markets comprise 95% domestic and 5% international markets.

How do you practice sustainability in your company?

Our core values include fostering a family-like atmosphere with a focus on environmental, social responsibility, and good governance (ESG) stewardship. For example, our products are environmentally friendly and support agricultural waste reduction. We donate to governmental hospitals and children’s foundations and serve as guest speakers and a learning center for society. We were honored with seven Innovation Awards in CSR in 2015 and have been certified for Good Governance standards by the Department of Business Development since 2019.

What are your business strategies for the future?

Product development includes probiotic supplements, innovative products from rice, and furthering waste utilisation for industries beyond the food industry, such as cosmetics and fertilisers.

Reference:

https://www.bangkokbanksme.com/en/23-2focus-bioveggie-innovative-concept-of-vegetable-pellets

All photos are supplied by Changmai Bioveggie