Seafood OEM in Thailand: 7 checks before you choose a factory

When a factory produces processed seafood under your brand (OEM), most of the risk sits in paperwork and process, not price. Check these seven things before the first run. 1. Food production licence and food registration number — ask for the premises licence and whose 13-digit food registration number your product will carry. You can look the number up yourself in the Thai FDA search system. 2. Factory standard — food premises must meet the Thai FDA GMP criteria. For export or large retailers, also ask about HACCP or whatever the destination requires, and ask to see certificates that are still valid. 3. Raw material source — where the catch comes from, which seasons run short, and how the factory tells you when it does. This decides whether supply stays consistent. 4. Cold chain — for frozen goods, ask about storage temperature, transport and who is responsible if product thaws in transit. 5. Minimum order and lead time — OEM minimums are often per recipe or per packaging design. Ask whether the first order differs from repeat orders. 6. Samples and a written spec — always order a sample first, then put net weight, sodium, shelf life and packaging into the quotation. 7. Labelling — food labels must follow Thai FDA rules. Agree who designs the label and who is responsible for the wording being correct. Find manufacturers and wholesalers in the seafood category on Trust Gate and request a quote with the documents above directly. The agreement and payment are between you and the seller.