The Challenge

CP Foods Thailand (Charoen Pokphand Foods) wanted to send a traditional Thai basil chicken dish to space. That required more than a compelling food concept - it required understanding the technical and food-safety requirements of spaceflight.

 

What We Did

The Hipsetter Group brought in Vickie Kloeris, former manager of NASA's Space Food Systems Laboratory, to assess the opportunity and work directly with the CP Foods team in Thailand.

We developed the relationship and coordinated Kloeris' involvement, including travel to Thailand, meetings with CP Foods scientists, and assessment of the food-safety and technical considerations involved.

 

Execution

Kloeris worked with the CP Foods team to evaluate the concept and determine what would be required to make it suitable for spaceflight. The dish, Kai Kaphrao (chicken with holy basil), flew to the International Space Station with astronaut Peggy Whitson on Axiom Mission 4 in June 2025.

 

Impact

An unusual intersection of Thai culture, food science, commercial partnership, and human spaceflight - and a demonstration of how the right expert turns an ambitious idea into a viable one.