Thongkam Thai Boat Noodles
Bangkok, Thailand
From Hidden Gem to Scalable System
2024 Ongoing
Our Role
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Central Kitchen Setup
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Recipe Licensing Negotiation
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Foodcourt Pilot Operations
Project Story
Tucked in a quiet Bangkok neighborhood was a tiny boat noodle shop we’d been visiting for over 20 years — a humble, unbranded setup serving what we genuinely believed to be one of the best bowls in Thailand. Despite its steady crowd and deep, memorable flavour, it was run as a traditional family business with no interest in branding or expansion. But after two decades as customers and friends, we saw the potential for something more.
What we did
We proposed a respectful collaboration: the family would continue crafting the core soup and sauces — the soul of the dish — while we handled everything else. We created the Thongkam identity, developed the brand, and launched a pilot in a high-end food court we had access to. All ingredients were prepared and portioned in our central kitchen, then transported to the food court for final assembly. This setup allowed us to maintain quality control, test real-world demand, and build scalable systems — all without disrupting the family’s daily workflow.
The Result
The foodcourt pilot gained traction and proved the product could thrive in a new context. Encouraged by the results, the original owner offered to sell us the full rights to the recipe. While they didn’t wish to grow it themselves, they trusted us to carry it forward. We’re now preparing to integrate the recipe into our own operating model, with plans to expand the concept as a modern, scalable brand rooted in legacy flavours.
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