Suk Satarana Co. Ltd. (‘Pensook’)

Context

• Although Thailand has been praised for being one of the pioneers of universal healthcare system, healthcare access to the urban poor and the emerging middle class is inadequate
• Primary source of sustenance in Thailand is white jasmine rice. But the jasmine rice’s glycemic index is very high. This translates to increased risk for: obesity, type 2 diabetes and coronary heart diseases. Although there are better rice varieties with lower glycemic index available in the market, its adoption by the general public has been very slow due to: taste, price, traditional customs, market access and general lack of education

Solution

Pensook is integrated healthcare and nutrition provider who promotes holistic healthy living concepts through (1) high quality healthcare services at the fraction of the cost of equivalent top quality private healthcare services, and (2) enhanced nutritional product, primarily fortified organic rice, to Thai people.

Impact depth

Pensook contributes to;

• Improved long term health and quality of life for the urban poor and emerging middle class people
• Improved livelihood of small-scale organic farmer by providing them with contract farming agreements for the fortified strains of organic rice sold by Pensook