Scholars of Sustenance Thailand - SOS Thailand

What Scholars of Sustenance Thailand - SOS Thailand does

Scholars of Sustenance Thailand (SOS Thailand) is a registered non-profit foundation and Thailand's first dedicated food rescue organization, founded in 2016 by Bo H. Holmgreen. The foundation operates a daily food rescue program, 7 days per week, collecting quality surplus food from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and manufacturers across four Thai cities (Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, and Chiang Mai) and redistributing it the same day to vulnerable communities including low-income groups, orphanages, shelters, and remote villages. Core technology is a localized volunteer network with trained and certified intermediary teams capable of accessing, collecting, and redistributing surplus food under food safety and operational efficiency standards, supported by cold chain logistics via a partnership with Berli Jucker (BJC) for temperature-controlled transport.

The organization's broader product portfolio includes the Food Rescue Program, Rescue Kitchen Program, Rescue Farm Program (composting and vegetable cultivation), Healthy School Meal Program, Cook For SOS volunteer program, School Food Drive Program, Food Rescue Learning Program, Food Waste Composting Program, and the School of Sustenance internship program. A national Food Bank Program, developed in partnership with Thailand's National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), extends the model through trained Local Food Rescue Volunteer Teams across 19 provinces, with a stated goal of 30 provinces by 2028. The Cloud Food Bank Platform (cloudfoodbank.org) provides an online donation channel for food donors. Adjacent wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, SOS Indonesia (Yayasan Derma Atas Pangan) and SOS Philippines Inc., replicate the model in Bali, Jakarta, and Manila.

SOS Thailand operates entirely on a donation-based revenue model funded by individuals, corporations, and charitable contributions. All food rescue and redistribution services are provided free of charge to both donors and recipient communities. Headcount is 7 employees. Corporate and institutional partnerships include THAIFEX-Anuga Asia (8+ years as sustainability partner), Nestlé Thailand, DKSH, Ford Philanthropy (via the Ford Community Center), BJC, Informa Markets/ProPak Asia, the Global FoodBanking Network, and the Thai Chamber of Commerce. Cumulative impact as of December 2025 includes 20 million kg of food rescued, 85 million equivalent meals served, and 51,600 tons of CO2e emissions reduced.

Name

Scholars of Sustenance Thailand - SOS Thailand

Legal name

มูลนิธิสโกลารส์ ออฟ ซัสทีแนนซ์ (Scholars of Sustenance Foundation)

Website

https://th.scholarsofsustenance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Scholars of Sustenance Thailand (SOS Thailand) is a registered non-profit foundation, founded in 2016, that operates daily food rescue operations across Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, and Chiang Mai, redistributing surplus food from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and manufacturers to vulnerable communities in 19 provinces, with affiliated operations in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Rescue Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Services (Donation, Animal Feed, Source Reduction Programs) (EUAIAEAH), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

Keywords

• Food rescue services
• Surplus food redistribution
• Food bank operations
• Non-profit charitable foundation
• Community meal programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangkok

HQ country

Thailand

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered non-profit foundation, SOS Thailand operates entirely through donations from individuals, corporations, and organizations. They receive food donations from restaurants, hotels, retailers, and manufacturers, which are redistributed to communities at no cost.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

SOS Thailand operates a daily food rescue and redistribution service, collecting good-quality surplus food from hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, convenience stores, and food manufacturers seven days a week in four Thai cities, and redistributes it free of charge to vulnerable communities including orphanages, shelters, low-income groups, and remote villages. The work is supported by a national volunteer team network across 19 provinces and reinforced by community kitchens, community fridges, and a Cloud Food Bank online donation platform.

Product overview

Scholars of Sustenance Thailand (SOS Thailand) operates as a non-profit food rescue foundation offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on rescuing surplus food and distributing it to vulnerable communities. The core offering is the Food Rescue Program, supported by the Rescue Kitchen Program for meal preparation and the Thailand Food Bank Program as a national-scale distribution network. Complementary programs include the Rescue Farm Program (composting and growing vegetables), Healthy School Meal Program, Cook For SOS Program, School Food Drive Program, and Food Rescue Learning Program for education. The School of Sustenance Program provides internship opportunities. All programs align with the motto 'Saving the Land, Serving the People, Feeding the Mind' and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Operations span four cities: Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, and Chiang Mai.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SOS Thailand's Food Bank Program: A flagship initiative that collects and redistributes surplus food to charitable organizations supporting vulnerable groups, operating through trained Local Food Rescue Volunteer Teams
• Rescue Kitchen Program
• Food Rescue Program
• School Food Drive Program
• Rescue Farm Program
• Healthy School Meal Program
• Cook For SOS Program
• Food Rescue Learning Program
• Food Waste Composting Program
• School of Sustenance Program

Products and services

• Food Rescue Program Daily food rescue operations collecting good-quality surplus food from hotels, department stores, retail stores, convenience stores, and food manufacturers seven days a week and redistributing it to orphanages, shelters, low-income communities, and vulnerable groups across Bangkok, Phuket, Hua Hin, and Chiang Mai.
• Rescue Kitchen Program Community kitchen initiative where volunteers cook rescued surplus food into nutritious hot meals for distribution to vulnerable communities, with fresh meals prepared by the community for the community.
• Rescue Farm Program Agricultural program that converts rescued food waste into compost used to grow new vegetables, which are then returned to community kitchens for cooking and distribution, closing the food rescue circular cycle.
• Healthy School Meal Program Program supplying rescued vegetables and ingredients to schools in Bangkok to help them stretch meal budgets toward protein purchases, enabling children to receive healthier and more nutritious school lunches.
• Cook For SOS Program Volunteer program inviting community members to cook meals at home or at SOS facilities and deliver them to the SOS office for redistribution to vulnerable communities.
• School Food Drive Program Weekly food assistance initiative collecting surplus food and distributing it to schools and surrounding communities in need on a recurring weekly basis.
• Food Rescue Learning Program Educational initiative teaching children and youth about food conservation through activities including gardening, planting, cooking, and composting to build environmental awareness and food sustainability habits.
• Food Waste Composting Program Sustainable waste management initiative teaching households, schools, and workplaces how to convert organic food waste into quality compost for environmental conservation and gardening use.
• School of Sustenance Program Internship and training program providing students and young professionals with hands-on experience in food rescue operations and non-profit management within SOS Thailand.
• Thailand Food Bank Program National food bank initiative developed with NSTDA (National Science and Technology Development Agency) that collects and redistributes surplus food to charitable organizations supporting vulnerable groups including low-income communities, people with disabilities, homeless individuals, and orphanages, currently expanding across 19 provinces with a goal to reach 30 provinces by 2028.
• Cloud Food Bank Platform Online food donation platform (cloudfoodbank.org) that enables food donors to contribute surplus food for rescue and redistribution to vulnerable communities in need.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 million kg of food rescued since 2017
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• THAIFEX - Anuga AsiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 20258+ year ongoing collaboration as sustainability partner. SOS Thailand operates food rescue at the event, collecting surplus food from exhibitors. In 2025, rescued over 4,000 kg creating 16,800+ meals for 20+ communities. SOS team participates in panel discussions on food banks and Thailand's food security.
• Berli Jucker (BJC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Cold chain logistics partnership where BJC's temperature-controlled transport system delivers ingredients to stores in Bangkok and collects surplus food back to main distribution center for SOS pickup. Created efficient logistics replacing visits to 20 Big C locations.
• TheCOMMONs and สามย่านมิตรทาวน์coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity fridge partnership placing donation fridges in shopping malls where donors can drop off surplus food and SOS collects for redistribution to communities.
• National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA/สวทช.)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey government partner in developing Thailand's Food Bank program since its inception. Collaboration to establish the National Food Bank to create a more fair food distribution system nationally.
• Global FoodBanking Network (GFN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Thailand's Director of Operations and Communications participated in GFN's food banks discussion panel at THAIFEX, sharing Thailand's experience in food rescue and redistribution.
• Nestlé ThailandmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partner reinforcing shared goals of reducing food waste and creating sustainability. Nestlé participates in food rescue activities and sustainability initiatives.
• DKSH (Thailand)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerOngoing support for Thailand's Food Bank through contributions to food rescue operations and distribution networks.
• Ford Philanthropy (Ford Community Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Thailand is one of three social organizations operating in Ford Community Center in Bangkok (Building 1). SOS uses the space for community kitchen operations, preparing and serving meals. Ford Philanthropy supports with rent and project development funding.
• Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Thailand joins TCC representatives in visiting exhibitor booths at events, strengthening engagement with member businesses and highlighting SOS's role as strategic sustainability partner.
• Informa Markets (ProPak Asia)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS Thailand participated as sustainability partner at ProPak Asia 2026, leading SDG 2: Zero Hunger initiatives. Through PPKA Zero Hunger Walk activity, raised THB 50,820 for food rescue operations.
• Concordian International School BangkokminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudents from 'Food For All Club' volunteer at SOS Thailand events, supporting food rescue operations and learning about sustainability.
• Local Food Rescue Volunteer Teams (19 Provinces)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrained and certified community-based volunteer networks in 19 provinces capable of accessing, collecting, and redistributing surplus food. Network expanding toward 30 provinces by 2028.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: US-wide network of 200+ food banks, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization. A scaled incumbent reference point for what a mature national food bank network looks like.
• Global FoodBanking Network: International umbrella organization supporting food banks globally, of which SOS Thailand is already an affiliate. Broader incumbent shaping food bank standards, advocacy, and donor access across the network.

Direct peers

• FoodCloud: Ireland-based social enterprise connecting retailers with surplus food to charities via a digital platform. Comparable in combining food rescue technology with charity redistribution, especially relevant to SOS's Cloud Food Bank platform.
• Robin Hood Army: Volunteer-led, zero-funds organization in South Asia that redistributes surplus food from restaurants and stores. Comparable volunteer-driven food rescue model, though operates without physical infrastructure like SOS's cold chain.
• The Food Bank (Thailand): Thai food bank foundation working on food waste reduction and redistribution. Direct in-country peer competing for the same Thai donor and beneficiary pool under the emerging national food bank policy.
• OzHarvest: Australia's leading food rescue charity, collecting surplus food from commercial donors and redistributing to charities. Directly comparable model: daily collection, refrigerated logistics, volunteer network, and donor partnerships with hotels, retailers, and manufacturers.
• FoodBank Singapore: Singapore's first food bank, redistributing surplus food to beneficiaries across the city-state. Highly comparable in Southeast Asia context: food rescue, donor partnerships with F&B and retail, and volunteer-driven operations.
• Yayasan Food Bank Indonesia: Indonesian food bank foundation collecting and redistributing surplus food, operating in the same regional market as SOS Indonesia. Direct competitor for donor relationships and government partnerships in Indonesia.

Regional players

• Second Harvest Japan: Japan's first food bank, redistributing surplus food to NGOs and welfare organizations. Operates an analogous food bank model in a different Asian geography, useful as a structural and operational benchmark.

Emerging players

• Too Good To Go: Commercial marketplace app connecting consumers with surplus food from restaurants and stores. Comparable mission of reducing food waste via redistribution but uses a paid consumer app model rather than charitable donation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thaisosfoodrescue
• Facebookfacebook.com/scholarsofsustenancefoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/scholars-of-sustenance-thailand-sos-thailand
• Instagraminstagram.com/sosfoodrescue.th

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Scholars of Sustenance Thailand - SOS Thailand