Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Pte. Ltd. (SBFAP), the Singapore-based headquarter of Suntory Beverage & Food in Asia, with support from Suntory Beverage & Food (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (SBFT), the leader of health enrichment products under BRAND’S trademark in Thailand and Asia, held a signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Faculty of Pharmacy from seven top Thai universities as part of the Research Collaboration on Nutrition Project, at Chatrium Hotel Riverside Bangkok on February 21, 2025. The project aims to advance nutrition knowledge through research and scientific exchange, with a focus on examining the efficacy of essence of chicken in slowing down biological aging in response to Thailand’s demographic shift toward an aging society and the trend of consumers becoming more health conscious.
According to Mr. Hideki Maki, Chief Research and Development Officer at Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Pacific (SBFAP), the world-renowned manufacturer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverages and health enrichment products, the company is committed to excellence in scientific innovation and high product quality to develop health supplements and products for consumers. Modern medical technology has extended people’s lifespan, the total number of years a person lives. Unfortunately, healthspan, the number of years a person lives in good health, has not kept pace with the rise in lifespan. Therefore, ways to slow down the aging process are crucial in extending one’s time in excellent health. Additionally, biological age, a measure of how long one remains in good health, can be influenced by lifestyle and dietary choices. As a result, the industry's role in offering products that address lifestyle needs and sensible consumption is becoming more crucial.
With confidence in the expertise of researchers and leading health and nutrition specialists in Southeast Asia, the company recognizes the importance of research partnerships with top Thai universities. This private and academic sector partnership will advance our understanding of biological aging, benefiting Thailand’s public health system and its population. We believe that good health is the cornerstone of a valuable and meaningful life, aligning with the company’s purpose to inspire the brilliance of life. With this in mind, we may eventually extend our research collaboration to other countries in the region to study the efficacy of chicken essence in aging in greater detail.
According to Mr. Omer Malik, CEO, Thailand and Indochina, Suntory Beverage & Food Thailand, Co., Ltd., Thailand is one of the fastest-aging countries in Southeast Asia. By 2040, Thailand will become a super-aged society, according to the National Statistical Office. Strongly committed to the Suntory Group’s purpose of inspiring the brilliance of life, the company has dedicated its 50 years of operations in Thailand to enhancing the health and well-being of its consumers by offering health enrichment products, supported by its scientific expertise and talented workforce. This aims to extend the period of good health and slow down biological aging, as the nation’s economy and society heavily depend on the population’s health and quality of life.
The company therefore supports the partnership between Suntory Beverage & Food Asia Pacific, which leads scientific research and product development under the BRAND’S trademark, and the Faculty of Pharmacy from seven of Thailand’s top universities: Mahidol University, Chiang Mai University, Chulalongkorn University, Khon Kaen University, Prince of Songkhla University, Silpakorn University, and Srinakharinwirot University. This partnership aims to share scientific knowledge on nutrition, focusing on the efficacy of chicken essence in delaying biological aging, in addition to the benefit of Carnosine and Vitamin B12 in supporting the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. The company anticipates that this five-year collaboration will generate new knowledge, advancing research initiatives to sustainably promote consumers’ health.
Assoc. Prof. Surakit Nathisuwan, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Mahidol University, Thailand, and one of the representatives from the seven universities, stated that Mahidol University is very pleased to be part of this research project. The faculty’s goal is to support research that promotes innovations, such as identifying the advantages of different natural substances and functional food products. This large-scale, insightful study includes a large sample size, ensuring reliable and scientifically valid results. Furthermore, as a multi-center study, it allows seven universities to collaborate and obtain high-quality data. We anticipate discovering new information that can be applied in various beneficial ways, particularly in developing a new economy around nutrients and raw materials available in Thailand. This will not only benefit consumers but also support grassroots communities, from upstream to downstream, by creating jobs and utilizing locally sourced raw materials to produce high-quality goods.
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According to Asst. Prof. Dr. Punyawatt Pintathong, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Srinakharinwirot University, this collaboration with SBFAP aligns with the faculty’s mission of creating knowledge and innovation to meet national and global needs. It will enhance research potential and impact, and support the development of personnel with advanced knowledge and research skills. Additionally, it will benefit project participants, students, and public health officials, and create new knowledge to advance research on promoting good health for the population in the future. This will strengthen the faculty’s capacity to achieve its vision of promoting social well-being by integrating pharmacy and innovation networks.
Prof. Dr. Supat Jiranusornkul, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Chiang Mai University, stated that collaborating with a top-tier organization demonstrates the faculty’s potential and the quality of education in Thailand and at Chiang Mai University. As a university with integrated learning across multiple faculties, including the Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Faculty of Agro-Industry, we have a significant advantage. This collaborative research endeavor is an empirical scientific investigation that produces reliable data. We anticipate that the information gathered from this study will benefit consumers and advance research methodology, which can be expanded to support more clinical research initiatives in the future.
According to Asst. Prof. Dr. Narupon Sutanthavibul, Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Chulalongkorn University, this nutrition research collaboration focuses on products that have long been known to Thais and meeting established standards. The initiative evaluates health-promoting food and provides scientific evidence to support its benefits using precise measurement tools and scientific techniques. This study also showcases collaboration between the academic and private sectors. Once the efficacy of these nutrients is established, public confidence in their ability to manage health without medications will be enhanced.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nimit Worakul, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Prince of Songkla University, shared that the faculty’s goal is to advance research to generate knowledge and innovation for the benefit of humanity. This research aims to advance the industrial and social sectors, a goal shared by all involved universities. As Thailand transitions into an elderly society, working with SBFAP presents an excellent opportunity. Promoting good health among the elderly is our primary objective, with nutrition management being a key component. This partnership lays a solid foundation for future collaboration between SBFAP and the education sector to explore scientific data that can generate new knowledge and improve population health. The faculty also expects this cooperation to facilitate knowledge exchange between SBFAP, its researchers, and students.
Asst. Prof. Narin Chansri, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy at Khon Kaen University, emphasized the importance of this research in supporting the growing trend of preventive health care. With the proven quality, efficacy, and safety of these products, this research will provide reliable scientific evidence, giving Thai consumers greater confidence in managing their health. By collaborating with the private sector, which produces public-benefiting products, this research can serve as a model for developing new products that truly enhance consumer health.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Daraporn Rungprai, Assistant Dean for Social Engagement and Corporate Communication, stated that the Faculty of Pharmacy at Silpakorn University is dedicated to creating research that can be applied in clinical and public health settings. Participating in this collaborative nutrition research initiative aligns with the university’s strategy of promoting innovative research. The selection of Silpakorn University by SBFAP as one of its academic partners is a significant opportunity to share knowledge with top international organizations. This collaboration will enhance pharmacy and nutrition education and advance nutraceutical research through the use of cutting-edge technology, such as biomarkers, to examine the impact of dietary supplements and health products on biological age. Furthermore, this partnership will support the development of research with commercial potential by strengthening collaboration between the academic and industrial sectors.
By 2040, Thailand is expected to become a fully aging society.
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