Thakvika Thach, the managing director of the award-winning WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa, represents a new generation of socially driven entrepreneurship in Cambodia. Building on the foundation laid by his late mother, Ung Vanna, Thakvika continues to lead with a vision that blends health innovation, community empowerment, and environmental responsibility. Under his direction, the brand is evolving beyond its moringa roots to explore new wellness solutions while deepening its commitment to supporting local farmers and sustainable development. Recently, When In Phnom Penh team sat down with Thakvika for an exclusive interview, offering a deeper look into his journey, leadership philosophy, and aspirations for the future.
Question: What motivated you to take over the family business and continue the legacy of WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa?
Answer: I was motivated to carry on the family business because it is a fundamental part of my family’s legacy, and that it also aligned with my value in helping people in any area of life. My profound belief that the remarkable health benefits of moringa can help make a real difference in people’s lives. Witnessing the positive impact of moringa on the lives of those around me, especially within my family, instilled in me a sense of purpose and meaning to carry forward this tradition. I no longer see it as a burden or responsibility. The opportunity to expand upon a business that not only supports our family but also helps to create jobs, nurtures the local health ecosystem, contributes to the local economy, and supports Cambodia’s farmers and producers fueled my passion and determination. This is why I am proud to say that Moringa is a business that places people above profit. It is a part of our core identity.
Question: Can you tell us about the unique qualities of moringa and why you decided to focus on it for your supplements?
Answer: Picking the right source for our supplements was not a task taken lightly. Our late founder, my mother, had spent a lot of time researching, learning and experimenting with Moringa before she created our supplements like moringa leaves powder, leaves to root mixture, tea, oil, etc. And it worked wonders. We found that moringa is a nutritional powerhouse with huge medicinal properties. In fact, it is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being able to treat over 300 diseases. Moringa species which grow in SEA such as in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos are especially nutritious. They are packed with an abundance of vitamins such as vitamin A, B6, C, iron, and magnesium, and antioxidants that allow it to help reduce high blood pressure and inflammation while lowering cholesterol. Additionally, its rich antioxidant profile also has immune-boosting properties, making it a valuable addition to a healthy lifestyle. According to Healthline and PharmEasy, moringa leaves are rich in essential nutrients, providing notable amounts of vitamins A, B6, C, iron, and magnesium. In addition to its nutritional value, Healthline highlights their strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, with potential benefits such as lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. Furthermore, WebMD and a peer-reviewed study also support its role in protecting cells and enhancing immune function through its high antioxidant content.
Question: How do you differentiate your moringa supplements from other products in the market?
Answer: WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa stands out thanks to our unwavering commitment to quality, and sustainability. Our line of products are all conceived from countless hours of research, and testing to ensure its effectiveness. Better yet, we source our ingredients completely locally, which helps to assure quality as well as support our local communities. Our supplements are carefully crafted to retain the maximum nutritional value of moringa, providing our customers with a truly authentic and potent product. Additionally, we prioritize transparency, educating our customers about the supplementary benefits of moringa and the process behind our methods.
We partner with local farmers production line, whereas some just did OEM from other moringa producers. OEM which stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer are basically companies who do not produce the moringa products themselves. Instead, they source ready-made products (or components) from other producers—often labeling them under their own brand. Only some companies have their own production and very few are locally or internationally standardized.
We have the leaves to root powder mixture recipe where most other brands only made pure leaves powder. Thus more effective. Secondly we also have recipes that cater to certain issues like gut health issues, joint bone issues, and intestine.
Question: What challenges have you faced in managing and growing the business, and how have you overcome them?
Answer: Ever since I was a kid I had never liked office work, and certainly didn’t think I’d one day be taking over the family business. But of course, here we are! So initially, it was actually quite difficult for me as someone still new to it all. Eventually though, I learned to love the role. To see it as no longer a burden, but a means to help create positive change to people’s lives and support our communities. That sense of meaning to the work helps keep me going.
Perhaps more challenging was keeping the sales stable and growing more as well as marketing. I had realized how much the business’s sales benefited from my mother’s ability to maintain relationships with customers and communities in 2 decades prior. Losing her immensely impacted us. We had lost a lot of the business’s charisma and customers along with it. Not to mention this was at the same time as the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, I had to make the tough decision to cut down our team from 50+, to just 24. That was followed by continuous promotions that didn’t help with increasing sales much, up until a period before the election in 2023 that finally saw numbers go up again. Through this, I learned a hard lesson in understanding our caps and limits that we had to be vary of staying above.
Another huge challenge is trying to change the mindset of our customers regarding healthcare. People here have a misconception that caring for their health is a one-and-done thing. Meaning that although they take Moringa when they’re sick, they immediately stop taking it as soon as they get better. As a health supplement, it should actually be taken regularly every day. So in this aspect, we are trying to raise awareness about it to our customers.
Question: In what ways do you ensure the sustainability and ethical sourcing of your moringa ingredients?
Answer: Sustainability and ethical sourcing are at the heart of our business. Because we source our moringa all from our communities, working with local farmers and producers as our suppliers. We also make sure that as much of them as possible are organically certified or at the very least naturally grown. Through this, we ensure that our moringa is high-quality and free from harmful contaminants. By adhering to sustainable practices, we not only protect the environment and also ensure the long-term viability of our business.
Question: Could you share any memorable success stories or milestones you’ve achieved since taking over the business?
Answer: One of the most rewarding milestones has been witnessing the growing recognition of WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa both domestically and internationally. Receiving positive feedback from customers and new partners, who wanna share the benefits of moringa with their surroundings who have experienced the benefits of moringa, is incredibly fulfilling. Our efforts were also recognized and rewarded, as we had recently won the health incubation programme of Lafiya Innovators 2023. The Lafiya Innovators program supported early-stage startups in healthcare and wellness over two cohorts in 2022 and 2023. The incubator was part of a multi-country program to bolster the health entrepreneurship ecosystem across Bangladesh, Cambodia, Colombia, and Ghana. The program offered tailored support — including mentoring, masterclasses, and field visits — to an inspiring group of early operational startups. We are proud to have contributed to the local community by providing employment opportunities and supporting initiatives that promote health and well-being. Going forward, we look to continue pursuing that mission.
Question: How do you stay innovative in such a competitive industry, especially as a young entrepreneur?
Answer: I wholeheartedly believe that curiosity is a crucial factor in continuously chasing innovation. You always have to keep learning, keep wondering, and keep trying. Because my experience has taught me that changes can happen quickly and unexpectedly, it is wise to be as prepared as possible. To do that, I attend industry conferences, network with experts, and continuously educate myself about emerging trends. Additionally, as a valuable lesson from my mother’s affinity with building many important relationships with our customers, I’ve learnt value customer feedback and actively seek their input to understand their evolving needs and preferences. This continuous learning and improving process is really important to me, which is why I really want to start a Research & Development department for Moringa, to even further elevate our quality and innovate new products.
Question: What strategies do you employ for marketing and reaching your target audience?
Answer: We still carry on the old strategies which is to keep the price affordable for all income, target people who are in health crisis but this time add on the new strategies which is to focus on the health conscious market which is the correct and long term way to go as i see it.
Our marketing strategy is multi-faceted and includes both digital and traditional approaches. We maintain digital marketing channels such as social media on Facebook, through which we produce consistent content, promotional posts, regular live sessions to help reach a wider audience and maintain communications with our existing customers. We also participate in local weekend markets and fairs to engage with the community directly. We also initiated a scheme where our customers could receive free or discounted health checks as a package deal along with their purchase of our products as well, which helps to compliment our offerings.
Question: How important is community engagement and giving back to the local community for your business?
Answer: Community engagement is deeply ingrained in our business philosophy. After all, both our suppliers as well as customers are based in our communities. As such, we believe in giving back to the community that has supported us since the very start.. We actively participate in local initiatives that promote health, education, and environmental sustainability. We also have, and will continue to work closely with our local farmers and producers as our suppliers. In 2021, WoT’s late founder, Ms. Ung Vanna, participated in the “60 Minutes to Support Small and Medium Enterprises” program, organized by the Cambodian Small and Medium Enterprises Association, to advocate for and promote locally made SME products in Cambodia. Moreover, WoT joined the six-month Lafiya Innovators 2023 program, a health-focused startup incubation initiative by Impact Hub Phnom Penh, and emerged as the competition’s winner. Selected from a pool of promising health startups, WoT received 10,000 Swiss francs to boost its exposure and expand into new markets. This milestone marks a key step in its plan to grow revenue by 13% by 2025 through targeting health-conscious consumers. By contributing to the well-being of our community, we not only strengthen our brand but also foster a sense of shared purpose and connection.
Question: What advice would you give to other young entrepreneurs looking to enter the health supplement industry or take over a family business?
Answer: For young entrepreneurs venturing into the health supplement industry or taking over a family business, I could say from my way of living as an artist before is that I love something and go for it but after of enduring here for a while I can see that you can also learn to love what you’re doing as well as long as you give meaning to it. It really took me quite a while to knock this sense into myself and accept it. Patience will allow you to navigate the complexities of business growth. I’ve found that it is very important to keep yourself able to strive forward . Stay true to your values, prioritize quality, and always put the needs of your customers first. Building a business, whether successful or not, takes time, dedication, and so much learning, but it can reward you with immense satisfaction and profound meaning to your life.
Question: Last but certainly not least, could you share with us anything special that WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa has in-store for customers at the moment?
Answer: I’m glad you asked! Actually we at WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa have unveiled a new promotion to reward our loyal customers. Customers can now receive a free moringa product by collecting 15 pieces of WoT-Natural Khmer Moringa product packaging, which will be recycled for internal use. This initiative is a gesture of appreciation for the unwavering support and confidence that our customers have placed in our company’s products, as well as a show of our commitment to more sustainable practices in our operations.