CJ MORE Opens Community Product Showcase Across Thailand

Thailand has many community-made goods reflecting local wisdom, creativity, and commitment, yet numerous products still need opportunities to develop their potential and access larger markets. Supporting small entrepreneurs is crucial to turning local value into business opportunity and creating sustainable income and resilience in communities. When local products and their stories reach consumers widely, they can grow far beyond their original markets. With this vision, CJ MORE has launched the "CJ STAR Starred Goods" project to identify and support promising products from small-business owners throughout Thailand, upgrading them for broader market entry through improvements in quality, standards, appearance, and packaging, while sharing the stories, values, and intentions of the makers. Using its network of over 2,100 CJ MORE stores across more than 60 provinces, the company acts as a bridge between producers and consumers, helping community goods move from local markets to nationwide recognition. The dedicated "CJ STAR Starred Goods" shelf space builds awareness and gives community products a platform to demonstrate their potential.

Setthiyar Setthiyardhamma, chairman and chief executive of CJ MORE Company Limited, explained that the "CJ STAR Starred Goods" project arose from a desire to create opportunity for small entrepreneurs and community product makers with potential who lack access to large markets. He noted that Thailand still has many fine goods born from local wisdom, dedication, and ability, yet many never reach a broad consumer base. Since CJ MORE itself has grown with community support, the company wants to return that benefit by opening space for small operators to display and sell their goods.

"I want CJ to be an organization of opportunity," he said, "opportunity for small people in communities, opportunity for good producers without access to large markets, and opportunity for talented people whose work the whole country has not yet seen."

CJ MORE positions itself not merely as a community store but as a "bridge" connecting producers to consumers and linking community goods to larger markets. Currently operating over 2,100 stores, the company began rolling out project products across 538 stores in the central, eastern, and western regions, with plans to expand across its full network of over 2,100 branches covering more than 60 provinces.

CJ MORE teams actively search out promising entrepreneurs and products rather than waiting for producers to approach them, then develop goods to meet consumer standards and expectations through quality improvements, packaging design, and brand creation. Branding is especially important because it not only helps products sell but builds long-term business value for the entrepreneur. Setthiyar stressed that strong branding for community products matters because as goods grow and become recognized, they strengthen the local economy and create lasting prosperity for makers and their regions.