Developing Agricultural Packaging Innovations to Enhance the Grassroots Economy in Western Thailand

This study addresses branding and packaging deficiencies that have constrained the market potential of ten agricultural products from Western Thailand. Using a mixed‐methods approach, the research integrates a review of branding and packaging literature, structured interviews with producer groups, consumer preference surveys, and co‐design workshops to develop and evaluate packaging innovations aligned with both market expectations and smallholder production realities. Consumer research was used to identify dominant preferences related to visual style, color, packaging form, and functional performance, which then informed the collaborative development of prototype packages with local farming groups. These prototypes were refined through iterative evaluation to ensure clarity of communication, structural usability, and material appropriateness. The findings demonstrate that consumer‐informed, co‐designed packaging solutions can enhance product differentiation, strengthen perceived value, and improve the competitiveness of smallholder agricultural products. By linking design decisions to producer feasibility and sustainability considerations, the study proposes a replicable framework for packaging‐led value addition that supports grassroots economic development, reduces post‐harvest losses, and promotes more resilient agrarian supply chains.