Innovation in the food industry is increasingly being driven not only by laboratories and advanced technology, but also by the practical knowledge of employees working directly on production lines.

CPF (Thailand) Public Company Limited’s Livestock Feed Business and 12 feed mills have received ISO 56001:2024 Innovation Management System – Requirements certification under a multi-site model, marking the first such certification in Thailand’s food industry covering multiple plants under a single innovation management system.

The certification reflects efforts to turn operational knowledge from frontline employees into a structured system for improving productivity, resource efficiency and production processes across facilities.

Rewat Hathaisattayapong, Head of Livestock Feed Business, CPF, said the company has focused on building a culture in which employees at all levels are encouraged to identify problems, test ideas and develop practical improvements based on their day-to-day experience.

“Frontline employees understand their work processes better than anyone. We want to create an environment where they can build on that knowledge, turn it into new ideas and develop solutions that can be applied in practice,” he said.

“The goal is to make innovation part of everyday work, rather than something limited to a particular group.”

The Livestock Feed Business currently has more than 1,000 employee innovators across different functions, supported through training, knowledge-sharing programmes and internal platforms for proposing and developing new ideas.

One of the key initiatives is Feed Innovation Week, where employees present projects and exchange experience, with the aim of turning ideas into prototypes and practical applications.

Projects range from improving production efficiency and reducing losses to managing energy and resources more effectively, as well as applying digital technologies and artificial intelligence where they can support operations.

CPF has also developed a broader innovation management framework covering organisational direction, knowledge management, employee development, project management, performance measurement and the expansion of successful projects across plants.

This common framework enabled the 12 feed mills to operate under the same innovation management system in line with ISO 56001:2024.

As animal feed is a key upstream part of the food value chain, improving how raw materials, energy and production knowledge are managed can help reduce losses and support more efficient and sustainable food production.

CPF said the approach could also strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Thailand’s food and livestock industries.