Interviewee: Prima Pattaropong
Interviewer, Editor, Graphic Designer: Pat Sevikul
Hi! My name is Prima Pattaropong, I’m 25 years-old, from Surat Thani, and I studied B.S. Psychobiology at UCLA. Having a passion for health and wellness, I started Plantiful when I was 22-23.
Tell us about Plantiful!
Plantiful is a 100% plant-based food brand that focuses on making creative and healthy meals! We originally started as a meal delivery service, and later on opened our first fast-casual restaurant in 2020.
It started from my kitchen at home, where I still bought groceries and cooked all the meals with the help of a few helpers at home.
The plant-based scene in Thailand has grown a lot in 2021, and we expect the market to be continuously growing in the next few years. Today, we have one flagship store and we just opened a new delivery spot in Ari with GrabKitchen. After I finish building my central kitchen and have my foundations strong, I would love to see Plantiful expand to more locations. Next year, we are planning to build a central commercial kitchen in Sathorn by the 1st quarter of 2022. !
What led you to become interested in plant-based cuisine and why did you choose to start your own business around it?
Plant-based food works and it is backed by evidence-based science. I went to a Plant-based Food Culinary school in LA during my college years and I tried eating full-on plant-based foods for 2 months. I experienced changes in my body and mind, and I really believe that the future is Plant-based!
How has your experience running the business been different from what you expected? If you could go back in time, would you do anything differently?
Running a business is definitely much more challenging than I anticipated. It’s not just about cooking and being creative in the kitchen anymore. The hardest thing of running a business is managing people.
If I could do something different, I would have given more time to the interior design stage. Plantiful’s interior design could have reflected the brand a little better.
What have you learned from working in this field and how has it changed your outlook?
I have learnt a lot from starting a business on my own. I look at it as taking an MBA course, where I get to dive into the real world, make real decisions and see real changes.
It is so important to stick to your core value as a brand, and find the sweet spot for your brand positioning.
What success has Plantiful achieved and how have you managed to expand your business in such a short period of time?
Plantiful has been doing really well in the online segment of our business. During the pandemic and restaurant lockdowns, we have managed to keep up our sales. In the future, we will continue to grow our food delivery/online segment; while also continue to improve and possibly reimagine our offline, in-store experiences.
Why do you think young people are getting involved in business more as of recently?
It's the age of Web 2.0 where anyone can start a business from their phones. Young kids are even more tech-savvy than other generations before. Starting a business isn't as hard as before. Barrier of entry is very low!
What advice would you give to young women entrepreneurs starting their first business?
Just do it! If you’re still young, you still have a lot of room to fail and start again. I really support entrepreneurship, so If you have a passion for something, just do it.
Just do it! If you’re still young, you still have a lot of room to fail and start again.
- Prima Pattaropong
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