Tilda, one of the UK's leading rice brands, marked a significant supply-chain milestone on Wednesday 17 June, with the launch of its premium Thai Hom Mali Jasmine Rice at Dhamecha Cash & Carry's Watford depot, attended by senior representatives from the Royal Thai Embassy, Dhamecha Group, Tilda and Asian Trader -AMG.
The event celebrated the arrival of a container of authentic Thai Jasmine Rice imported directly from Thailand and delivered into the Dhamecha wholesale network, reinforcing the growing importance of international sourcing and efficient distribution within the UK's food and grocery sector.
The ceremony was attended by Mr Jirakarn Bejarajai, Minister Commercial, Department of International Trade, Royal Thai Embassy, and Mr Kritsada Singha, Counsellor, alongside a delegation from Thailand. They were joined by Mr Jean-Philippe Laborde Managing Director of Tilda, and senior members of the Tilda team, including Shreya Dhruve, Regional Account Manager, Paritosh Singhee, National Account Controller, and Nikhil Desai, Head of National Accounts.
Representing Dhamecha Group were Director Mukesh Vithlani, Shallu Kumar and Daniel Spruds from the grocery and chilled division, and Keshav Odedra, Depot General Manager.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony formally launched the initiative before guests witnessed the offloading of the shipment at the depot. The gathering also provided an opportunity for discussions around international trade, category development, consumer demand and future growth opportunities within the world foods sector.
The launch highlighted the strong commercial relationship between Thailand and the UK food industry, as well as the critical role wholesalers such as Dhamecha play in bringing authentic global products to independent retailers across Britain.
Asian Trader attended the event as a guest of the organisers. As the UK's leading trade publication serving independent retailers, wholesalers and FMCG suppliers for more than four decades, Asian Trader continues to champion innovation, collaboration and growth across the sector through its editorial platforms and the annual Asian Trader Awards.
The successful launch reflects the continued expansion of the world foods category and growing consumer demand for premium, authentic products sourced directly from international markets.
Image: Tilda Rice