Thai Food Brand Roza Reimagines Emergency Relief with 'Ready Bag'

Every year, Thailand faces recurring floods and natural disasters. Time and again, communities rally to support those affected, sending thousands of traditional relief bags. But while the intention is good, the reality is that many of these bags fall short: meals can’t be cooked, nutritional needs aren’t met, and variety and dignity are often overlooked.

Enter Roza, a 50-year-old Thai food brand, rethinking what a relief bag can - and should - be. Their new initiative, the 'Ready Bag', goes beyond simply filling stomachs: it’s a thoughtfully designed rescue kit that nurtures recovery for body and mind.

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Rethinking Relief from the Ground Up

Working closely with frontline partners - including the Mirror Foundation, Oon Ai Rak, and volunteer jetski team - Roza examined the realities of disaster zones: limited access to clean water, cooking facilities, and time, alongside high stress and uncertainty. Traditional relief solutions were often impractical or incomplete.

• Nutritionally incomplete and repetitive: Many emergency meals rely on high-energy dry foods, lacking protein, vitamins, and minerals necessary for recovery. Eating the same food repeatedly can worsen physical fatigue and mental strain.
  
• Cooking barriers: In flooded areas, access to clean water, electricity, or cooking tools is limited, making meals that require preparation a burden rather than help.
  
• Packaging and spoilage issues: Logistics in crisis conditions can lead to damaged or expired food, which can cause illness in already vulnerable populations.
  
• One-size-fits-all doesn’t fit all: Age, culture, and religious dietary restrictions are often overlooked. Children, seniors, and those requiring halal options frequently receive unsuitable foods.
  
• Waste management challenges: Standard relief packaging generates significant plastic waste, creating hygiene and environmental concerns in already fragile shelters.

Mr.Suvit Wangpattanamongkol, marketing director of Hi-Q Food Products Co., Ltd., reflects, "We’ve seen good food wasted because some recipients simply couldn’t eat it. Even en route, fresh items often expire before reaching the end point. That reality pushed us to rethink what a relief bag really should be."

The Science of a Thoughtful Bag

Project Roza Food Rescue, developed with VML Thailand Agency, combines 50 years of food expertise, field insights, and nutritional science. The result: Ready Bag - a kit designed to be practical, nutritionally balanced, culturally considerate, and psychologically supportive.

• Varied, strategic nutrition: Each Ready Bag contains nine ready-to-eat meals for three days, carefully selected for taste, nutrition, and variety.

Examples include:

- Chicken porridge, a comforting, easy-to-digest protein-rich option

- Rice with tuna, delivering lean protein and essential minerals

- Riceberry chicken, providing fibre and sustained energy

- Pumpkin–carrot soup, rich in vitamins A and C for immune support

• Ready-to-eat convenience: Modern production ensures meals can be consumed straight from the pouch - no cooking, no utensils required.
  
• Culturally and age-appropriate: Recipes are suitable for all ages and religions, including halal considerations, ensuring no one is excluded.
  
• Durable, waste-conscious design: Waterproof and impact-resistant packaging protects contents from flood or moisture, while included trash bags help manage waste in compromised environments.
  

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Proactive, Not Reactive

Instead of waiting for disaster to strike, Roza is developing a proactive distribution system, ensuring Ready Bags reach communities as early as possible when cooking resources and clean water are scarce. This approach transforms emergency aid from merely survival-focused to recovery-focused, helping recipients regain strength and dignity in the aftermath of crisis.

A Small Bag with Big Impact

The Ready Bag may look simple, but it represents a systematic, science-driven approach to disaster nutrition. Mr.Suvit explains:

"Being a food brand isn’t just about taste when life is normal - it’s about being ready when food is the most urgent form of care."

The initiative is already in action: Ready Bags have been delivered through Oon Ai Rak and other partners to flood-affected civilians and border patrol units in Sisaket Province, providing convenient, safe, and nutritionally complete meals to those who need them most.

For Roza, a good food brand means being ready when no one else can be, ensuring every meal supports not just survival, but true recovery - body, mind, and community.