Photo courtesy of Khaosod

 

Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited (CP Foods) has reported a remarkable financial performance for the first half of 2025, with net profit leaping by 134% compared to the previous year, reaching THB 18,926 million (approximately 582.87 million USD). This impressive growth highlights the company’s successful international diversification strategy, where overseas markets now play a central role.

 

The Thai agribusiness giant achieved total sales of THB 291,770 million (around 8.985 billion USD). Notably, international operations formed 62% of these revenues, with exports contributing a further 5%. The remainder, 33%, came from domestic activities. CP Foods' extensive global presence is reflected in its joint ventures in 16 countries and a distribution network that spans over 50 markets worldwide.

 

CEO Prasit Boondoungprasert noted a 6% rise in sales when measured in local currencies. However, the appreciation of the Thai baht resulted in a minor 1% decline in the company's reporting currency.

 

A significant factor in the profit surge was favourable market conditions, including higher average prices for poultry and pork across several regions. Global meat supply has diminished due to widespread outbreaks of animal diseases such as avian influenza and African Swine Fever, impacting numerous countries.

 

CP Foods managed to take advantage of these supply constraints while also cutting input costs, thanks to cheaper soybean meal and stringent cost management. The company's effective disease prevention protocols and improved supply chain efficiency bolstered its profit margins.

 

CP Foods reiterated its dedication to stringent food safety standards across its global operations. The company has heavily invested in innovation and epidemic prevention to successfully mitigate livestock disease risks, thereby maintaining production stability and consumer confidence.

 

Looking ahead, CEO Prasit expressed optimism for continued positive momentum into the second half of 2025. He reassured stakeholders regarding potential U.S. trade issues, noting that shrimp exports to the U.S. constitute less than 0.1% of total sales, thus limiting risk from policy changes.

 

The company plans to expedite its localisation strategy by expanding ready-to-eat food production facilities within the U.S. This aligns with CP Foods’ broader strategy to establish production capabilities in target markets, meeting local consumer demand effectively.

 

Reflecting the strong financial performance, CP Foods' Board of Directors has approved an interim dividend of THB 1.00 per share for the first half of 2025. Shareholders on record as of 1st September 2025 will receive their dividends on 12th September 2025.

 

Overall, these results position CP Foods as a prominent beneficiary of global protein market dynamics, demonstrating the effectiveness of its international expansion and operational strategies.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Khaosod 2025-08-15

 

Thanks to CP the high profits will shortly follow in medical and pharmaceutical industries respectively. 

5 minutes ago, nowhereman said:

Thanks to CP the high profits will shortly follow in medical and pharmaceutical industries respectively. 

 

 

What does that mean?

1 minute ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

What does that mean?

CP stands for Communist Party, doesn't it?

1 minute ago, nowhereman said:

CP stands for Communist Party, doesn't it?

And what does that mean? 

19 minutes ago, GarryP said:

And what does that mean? 

Don't know, what do think? Looks like I owe you a bit longer answer

. Here it is. 

Thai CP Foods (Charoen Pokphand Foods) is a major global agribusiness and food producer with significant influence in Thailand and abroad. While the company has contributed to food production and economic growth, its dominance has raised concerns about negative impacts on small food producers and public health. Here are some key issues:

1. Market Domination & Unfair Competition

• Price Undercutting: CP Foods' economies of scale allow it to sell products at lower prices, making it difficult for small farmers and local food producers to compete.

• Contract Farming Pressures: Many small farmers are tied to CP’s contract farming system, which often imposes strict terms, leaving them with low profits and high debt.

• Monopolization of Supply Chains: CP controls feed, livestock, and distribution networks, squeezing out independent producers.

2. Health Concerns from Industrialized Food Production

• Antibiotic Overuse: CP’s intensive livestock farming has been linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing long-term public health risks.

• Processed Food Dependence: CP promotes processed and fast food (e.g., CP-branded frozen meals, sausages), contributing to rising obesity and non-communicable diseases in Thailand.

• Chemical & GMO Reliance: Heavy use of pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified feed in CP’s supply chain raises environmental and health concerns.

3. Environmental & Livelihood Damage

• Land Grabbing & Deforestation: CP’s demand for animal feed (like soy and corn) has driven deforestation in Thailand and abroad (e.g., Amazon rainforest).

• Water & Soil Pollution: Industrial-scale farms and processing plants contribute to water contamination, affecting small farmers' land and fishing communities.

4. Cultural & Social Disruption

• Loss of Traditional Farming: Small-scale, sustainable farming practices are declining as CP’s industrialized model dominates.

• Debt Traps for Farmers: Many smallholders become dependent on CP for seeds, feed, and loans, leading to cycles of indebtedness.

5. Economic Inequality

• Wealth Concentration: CP’s profits benefit large shareholders and corporate executives, while small producers see stagnant incomes.

• Reduced Food Sovereignty: Local communities lose control over food production as CP dominates the market.

Conclusion

While CP Foods provides affordable food, its corporate practices often harm small producers, public health, and sustainable agriculture. Advocacy for fairer policies, support for independent farmers, and stricter regulations on industrial farming could help mitigate these effects.

 

 

 

23 minutes ago, nowhereman said:

Don't know, what do think? Looks like I owe you a bit longer answer

. Here it is. 

Thai CP Foods (Charoen Pokphand Foods) is a major global agribusiness and food producer with significant influence in Thailand and abroad. While the company has contributed to food production and economic growth, its dominance has raised concerns about negative impacts on small food producers and public health. Here are some key issues:

1. Market Domination & Unfair Competition

• Price Undercutting: CP Foods' economies of scale allow it to sell products at lower prices, making it difficult for small farmers and local food producers to compete.

• Contract Farming Pressures: Many small farmers are tied to CP’s contract farming system, which often imposes strict terms, leaving them with low profits and high debt.

• Monopolization of Supply Chains: CP controls feed, livestock, and distribution networks, squeezing out independent producers.

2. Health Concerns from Industrialized Food Production

• Antibiotic Overuse: CP’s intensive livestock farming has been linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing long-term public health risks.

• Processed Food Dependence: CP promotes processed and fast food (e.g., CP-branded frozen meals, sausages), contributing to rising obesity and non-communicable diseases in Thailand.

• Chemical & GMO Reliance: Heavy use of pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified feed in CP’s supply chain raises environmental and health concerns.

3. Environmental & Livelihood Damage

• Land Grabbing & Deforestation: CP’s demand for animal feed (like soy and corn) has driven deforestation in Thailand and abroad (e.g., Amazon rainforest).

• Water & Soil Pollution: Industrial-scale farms and processing plants contribute to water contamination, affecting small farmers' land and fishing communities.

4. Cultural & Social Disruption

• Loss of Traditional Farming: Small-scale, sustainable farming practices are declining as CP’s industrialized model dominates.

• Debt Traps for Farmers: Many smallholders become dependent on CP for seeds, feed, and loans, leading to cycles of indebtedness.

5. Economic Inequality

• Wealth Concentration: CP’s profits benefit large shareholders and corporate executives, while small producers see stagnant incomes.

• Reduced Food Sovereignty: Local communities lose control over food production as CP dominates the market.

Conclusion

While CP Foods provides affordable food, its corporate practices often harm small producers, public health, and sustainable agriculture. Advocacy for fairer policies, support for independent farmers, and stricter regulations on industrial farming could help mitigate these effects.

 

 

 

Nice detailed response. Doesn't surprise me at all. I know of farmers who are tied to CP and are struggling to find a way out. Yet the unfair competition legislation is never used against them. Could that be because of the power they hold (money)? They are massive in agriculture (from fertilizer to seed, aniumal feed and all the other things you mentioned), wholesale, retail, telecommunications (True), and probably some others.  

Its all the selfish idiots in 7-11 who are always buying toasties and holding up the line....Who are making CP rich, while us non toastie eaters  lose half our life waiting in the  7-11 line waiting for their damm toasties to cook..

27 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Its all the selfish idiots in 7-11 who are always buying toasties and holding up the line....Who are making CP rich, while us non toastie eaters  lose half our life waiting in the  7-11 line waiting for their damm toasties to cook..

 

Wow, so sad. Buy the sandwiches untoasted and do that at home over a charcoal tub. No waiting in line.

Just now, scorecard said:

 

Removed, redundant.

 

32 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Its all the selfish idiots in 7-11 who are always buying toasties and holding up the line....Who are making CP rich, while us non toastie eaters  lose half our life waiting in the  7-11 line waiting for their damm toasties to cook..

I would not go to 7-11 in a first place. There is no real food there. 

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

What does that mean?

The food sold in 7-11 is  almost 100% unhealthy. High in salt, additives, sugar, it's garbage and sadly so many Thais are now addicted to it. Diabetes, heart diseases, cancer, all lie in wait.

Look at all the obese Thais nowadays, that's due to the rubbish they consume from stores like 7-11. 

Is there anything healthy in there? 

Beer Sing is the only thing I'd dare buy there, and that's because it's rumoured it contains preservatives so my corpse should last longer. 

58 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

Its all the selfish idiots in 7-11 who are always buying toasties and holding up the line....Who are making CP rich, while us non toastie eaters  lose half our life waiting in the  7-11 line waiting for their damm toasties to cook..

 

 

If 7-11 staff were capable of multitasking (dual-tasking would suffice) they could serve the hoi polloi while we aristos wait for our succulent toasties (invariably under cooked despite requests for "suk suk, khrup").

For pigs, CP Foods built a high-tech Smart Pig ecosystem — sensors, biosecurity gates, automated feed control — to prevent ASF and maximize output.
For humans, the “system” could be much simpler: adjust the food itself.

Reducing salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, and promoting balanced, nutrient-rich meals could cut the long-term health footprint at a fraction of the cost of chronic disease. But the profit incentive isn’t aligned — indulgent, processed products often sell more — and the effects aren’t immediate. Unlike ASF in pigs, the human health impact builds slowly over years.

So while the technology for pigs is futuristic and proactive, the strategy for humans stays reactive and low-tech — leaving the healthcare system to pick up the bill.

CP family get richer; Thai people poorer.

12 hours ago, nowhereman said:

Don't know, what do think? Looks like I owe you a bit longer answer

. Here it is. 

Thai CP Foods (Charoen Pokphand Foods) is a major global agribusiness and food producer with significant influence in Thailand and abroad. While the company has contributed to food production and economic growth, its dominance has raised concerns about negative impacts on small food producers and public health. Here are some key issues:

1. Market Domination & Unfair Competition

• Price Undercutting: CP Foods' economies of scale allow it to sell products at lower prices, making it difficult for small farmers and local food producers to compete.

• Contract Farming Pressures: Many small farmers are tied to CP’s contract farming system, which often imposes strict terms, leaving them with low profits and high debt.

• Monopolization of Supply Chains: CP controls feed, livestock, and distribution networks, squeezing out independent producers.

2. Health Concerns from Industrialized Food Production

• Antibiotic Overuse: CP’s intensive livestock farming has been linked to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing long-term public health risks.

• Processed Food Dependence: CP promotes processed and fast food (e.g., CP-branded frozen meals, sausages), contributing to rising obesity and non-communicable diseases in Thailand.

• Chemical & GMO Reliance: Heavy use of pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified feed in CP’s supply chain raises environmental and health concerns.

3. Environmental & Livelihood Damage

• Land Grabbing & Deforestation: CP’s demand for animal feed (like soy and corn) has driven deforestation in Thailand and abroad (e.g., Amazon rainforest).

• Water & Soil Pollution: Industrial-scale farms and processing plants contribute to water contamination, affecting small farmers' land and fishing communities.

4. Cultural & Social Disruption

• Loss of Traditional Farming: Small-scale, sustainable farming practices are declining as CP’s industrialized model dominates.

• Debt Traps for Farmers: Many smallholders become dependent on CP for seeds, feed, and loans, leading to cycles of indebtedness.

5. Economic Inequality

• Wealth Concentration: CP’s profits benefit large shareholders and corporate executives, while small producers see stagnant incomes.

• Reduced Food Sovereignty: Local communities lose control over food production as CP dominates the market.

Conclusion

While CP Foods provides affordable food, its corporate practices often harm small producers, public health, and sustainable agriculture. Advocacy for fairer policies, support for independent farmers, and stricter regulations on industrial farming could help mitigate these effects.

 

 

 

Excellent reporting... 

Disgusting parasites.

Now that is a very interesting way to put it - "a significant factor in the profit surge was favourable market conditions". 

I hope that the consumers are aware that they are skinned alive with such monopolies, the CP conglomerate controls the entire line from animal feed via poultry production to Chester grill. Makro, Big C, Lotus's, 7/11 - go and have a look who owns these "independent" players in the food range. 

Some time ago I drove along the Mekong and saw farmers harvesting tomatoes from "floating markets", sorting them into stackable crates by size of the tomatoes, carrying those crates up to the road level for collection. In asking they told me that they would get 5 Baht a kilogramme; while I bought a few hours earlier tomatoes at 41 Baht. The farmers surrounded me and shared their misery while stating, that nobody else would buy the tomatoes and selling them directly was not an option either due to lacking staff and knowledge. 

But Dhanin is a very generous man, on the other hand. Some years back the media covered his generosity in handing over a certified bank check over 800 million Baht 😉 

13 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Now that is a very interesting way to put it - "a significant factor in the profit surge was favourable market conditions". 

I hope that the consumers are aware that they are skinned alive with such monopolies, the CP conglomerate controls the entire line from animal feed via poultry production to Chester grill. Makro, Big C, Lotus's, 7/11 - go and have a look who owns these "independent" players in the food range. 

Some time ago I drove along the Mekong and saw farmers harvesting tomatoes from "floating markets", sorting them into stackable crates by size of the tomatoes, carrying those crates up to the road level for collection. In asking they told me that they would get 5 Baht a kilogramme; while I bought a few hours earlier tomatoes at 41 Baht. The farmers surrounded me and shared their misery while stating, that nobody else would buy the tomatoes and selling them directly was not an option either due to lacking staff and knowledge. 

But Dhanin is a very generous man, on the other hand. Some years back the media covered his generosity in handing over a certified bank check over 800 million Baht 😉 

No difference than the food & dry goods industry outside of Thailand.  Monopolized by a few big players.  Same parent company, with subsidiaries, if even having, producing competitive product, some simply out of the same building with different labels, marketed slightly different.  

 

I use to work for such a company, making flux.  Exact same flux I'd mix up, in huge batch, and fill 5 different labelled container from the exact same batch.   All sitting on the shelf next to each other, at different price points.   Just gives the illusion of competition & choice.

 

CP provides a decent product at decent price.  Especially meats, as I haven't a clue how meats sold at the fresh / wet market are raised.   I rarely eat local fish & seafood, and when buying, it's usually import & frozen.  Same with fruits & veggies, with exception of in season fruit.

 

Never bought fruit or veggies from Makro that tasted like chemicals.   Can't say the same about purchases from fresh / wet markets.   At least if something is off, from Makro, they'll replace or refund it.

19 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

What does that mean?

 

 

IMO, the result of eating junk food and obesity!

Pure greed