Fighting Farmer Poverty With Regenerative Superfood Rice
On this episode of the ReGen Brands Podcast, we hear from Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak, Co-Founder and CEO of Jasberry — a purpose-driven food brand working to eliminate farmer poverty through the power of regenerative agriculture and a remarkably nutritious purple rice.
Jasberry’s story weaves together world-class science, grassroots farmer partnerships, and global supply chain grit — all in service of a clear and powerful mission: increase farmer incomes, improve human health, and regenerate the land.
A Childhood Promise That Sparked a Movement
Jasberry didn’t start with a business plan — it started with a promise. In this episode, Neil shares a deeply personal origin story that traces back to his teenage years in Australia. As an immigrant struggling to fit in, he found solidarity and inspiration in a classmate named Duncan. One day on a school bus, Duncan told Neil he wanted to move to Africa and build schools for children. Neil replied that he wanted to return to Thailand and protect the rainforest.
Years later, Neil was working in investment banking when he received a school newsletter that changed everything. It featured a story on Duncan, who had in fact fulfilled his dream and moved to Africa to start a school. That moment pushed Neil to walk away from finance and return home to Thailand in search of his own calling.
“Jasberry was a continuation of that purpose… Instead of forest conservation, now I work with farmers.” – Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak
The Google Search That Led to the World’s Healthiest Rice
After seeing firsthand how rice farmers in Thailand were trapped in generational poverty — earning as little as $0.40 per day — Neil realized that simply selling organic rice wouldn’t be enough. He needed a breakthrough product. So, like any determined founder, he Googled: “Who is the best rice scientist in the world?”
That search led him to a Thai genomics expert who had spent decades naturally breeding rice varieties with enhanced nutrition and resilience. One of his creations was a deep purple rice with antioxidant levels 40x higher than brown rice and 7x higher than kale. Neil cold-called him, made his pitch, and drove three hours the next day to meet him in person.
“I asked, what’s your greatest innovation? He said, ‘The healthiest rice in the world.’ And I said — I want to eat this every day.” – Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak
Partnering With Farmers to Regenerate Soil and Livelihoods
From the beginning, Jasberry’s model was rooted in long-term, respectful relationships with farmers. Neil spent two years living in northeastern Thailand, learning a new dialect just to fully integrate with the community. He saw stark contrasts between the organic and conventional farmers of the region, with clear proof that organic and regenerative farmers were achieving higher yields and lower costs over the long term.
That proximity shaped Jasberry’s approach: prioritizing subsistence needs, honoring cultural ties to rice, and co-creating a path forward that centered both regenerative practices and economic empowerment. Many farmers started with small plots and large debts. Today, they are earning up to 14x more than the national average, and their children are returning to the farm.
“Rice is life for these farmers… It’s not just about economics. It’s what they eat. It’s their culture. Their religion. Their family.” – Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak
Breaking Into Whole Foods With Nothing But a Mockup
With a great product and powerful mission in hand, Neil knew he needed retail validation. So, with no physical product — only cooked samples and a mockup package — he flew to Austin, Texas, to pitch Whole Foods. After a barrage of emails and voicemails went unanswered, Neil showed up at headquarters uninvited. Initially, security asked him to leave, but eventually, he managed to get a buyer on the phone. They met the next morning in the parking lot.
Neil served him cooked purple rice on the spot. The buyer was impressed and supportive. He gave Neil a checklist of everything needed to be ready for Whole Foods’ shelves. That conversation became the foundation of Jasberry’s go-to-market roadmap.
“I said, I flew all the way from Thailand just to see you. I just need five minutes.” – Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak
How We Get Regenerative Brands to 50% Market Share by 2050
The answer is clear: great storytelling. For Neil, storytelling is what makes people feel something — and feeling is what leads to change. He argues we’ve done a good job articulating why regeneration matters in the abstract, but the next leap is personalizing the message for individual consumers.
Jasberry’s journey offers a blueprint for the kind of change we need: mission-led, farmer-rooted, and commercially viable. The purple rice may be what catches attention, but it’s the human stories behind it that spark transformation.
“If you can wake up every day and do something you’d give your life for… that’s something amazing.” – Peetachai “Neil” Dejkraisak
This ReGen Recap was written by Anthony Corsaro with the help of ChatGPT
You can check out the full episode with Peetachai (Neil) Dejkraisak @ Jasberry HERE
Subscribe to future episodes of the ReGen Brands Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube. You can help support our mission of growing regenerative CPG brands with a 5-star rating!
Stay engaged in the conversation by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, The ReGen Brands Weekly, and connecting with us on LinkedIn: ReGen Brands and AC