If you grew up in Asia, or have spent time living here, then you’ve likely eaten plenty of Pretz by now. The ubiquitous pencil-thin breadstick snack is available at almost every convenience store throughout the region, and here in Thailand, we’ve got larb and tom yum goong flavors to rep Thai cuisine.
A few days ago, though, the Japanese snack brand Pretz introduced two new flavors that are giving a nod to two well-known Thai condiments: nam phrik phao Thai chili paste and nam jim kai chicken dipping sauce.
The launch comes from a joint collaboration between Thai Glico (the corporation behind Pretz) and Maepranom, the renowned family-run Thai chili paste company that has been around since 1959. You can’t miss Maepranom’s presence on supermarket shelves across the country: its green curry paste, spring roll sauce, Phad Thai seasoning and other household name items, branded with a logo of a woman rocking a vintage hairstyle is one that we’ve all come to recognize.
Maepranom’s aromatic, flavor-packed Thai chili paste is often used in tangy soups (such as tom yum) and stir-fried recipes, mixed with rice or even spread on bread. Its chicken dipping sauce, on the other hand, is a sweet chili sauce whose flavor profile perfectly matches not just grilled chicken, but also spring rolls, fish cakes, sausages, plus pretty much anything deep-fried.
The two new flavors of Pretz will be available in 21-gram packages and are sold at THB10 each. The limited-edition products will only be available from October until December, and can be purchased at Maepranom’s flagship store in the Iconsiam shopping mall, or at supermarkets, convenience stores and via online shops Lazada and Shopee.
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