Thai Sturgeon Farm
A Sustainable Choice for Premium Caviar

For most caviar producers, harvesting roe marks the end of a sturgeon’s production life. Thai Sturgeon Farm (TSF) has taken a different approach. By using live egg extraction, the farm keeps its female sturgeons healthy and enables them to produce caviar repeatedly. As the fish grow older, their eggs become larger and the yield increases, improving both product quality and long-term productivity.

Based in Hua Hin, Thailand, TSF was established by Dr. Alexey Tyutin and his business partner, Khun Noppadon Khamsai. Nearly 1,000 sturgeons are individually chipped and tracked from the age of three, while ultrasound is used to monitor their development and determine the right time for production. Before roe extraction, the fish undergo a three-month winter simulation at approximately +5°C, recreating an important part of their natural seasonal cycle.

“Our winter simulation gives the caviar a cleaner, firmer texture with less oiliness and a gentler opening taste, while preserving its natural aftertaste,” says Dr. Tyutin, co-founder and director.

The farm produces its caviar without preservatives and with a lower salt content adapted to local preferences. While European caviar commonly contains around 3.5 to 3.8 percent salt, TSF keeps its standard product below 3.3 percent and can adjust the level to meet specific customer requirements.

The benefits of keeping the fish through successive production cycles are also reflected in egg size and yield. At first maturity, eggs typically measure around 2.6 to 2.8 millimeters, increasing to approximately 3.3 to 3.4 millimeters as the fish mature. At the same time, roe yield can rise from about 10.5 percent to nearly 15 percent. These larger eggs are an important part of the farm’s plans for premium international markets, including Japan and the U.S.

TSF operates a high-tech recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Water from a deep well continuously passes through drum filtration, biological filtration, ozone chambers and ultraviolet treatment before returning to the tanks. Only a small proportion of water is removed during the treatment process, while solar panels provide part of the farm’s daytime electricity needs. Sensors continuously monitor oxygen, electrical conductivity, salinity, pH, water levels and pressure, allowing the system to respond quickly to changing conditions.

The same attention to control and traceability continues during processing. After extraction, the roe is cleaned with sterile water, dried, salted with natural salt and stored in sterilized glass jars under approximately 98 percent vacuum. Every production lot can be traced back to its storage jar and originating fish, and samples from each lot are submitted to an independent central laboratory for testing.

TSF’s approach to responsible caviar production has received recognition for its low environmental impact, including the Top Sustainable Caviar Producer in APAC 2026 award. The farm holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications, with its processing operation licensed and products registered by the FDA. It has also obtained HACCP for the U.S. market, ISO 22000 and Halal certification.

TSF’s recently completed processing building was designed according to HACCP requirements and approved by the FDA. These capabilities support established relationships with leading hospitality customers, including the famous PRU restaurants, Rosewood hotels, State Tower restaurants, Centaras and Anantaras.

“All our customers are using our brand with pride,” says cofounder Khamsai.

For selected restaurant partners, the farm also creates exclusive labels carrying their own branding, strengthening the connection between locally produced caviar and the hospitality businesses serving it. Rather than competing through scale, TSF has built its position through differentiation: local production, lower salt content, preservative-free processing, larger eggs, full traceability and a harvesting method that keeps the sturgeon alive.

The farm is now expanding its international presence, developing airline partnerships and introducing its largeregg caviar to new premium markets. It is also developing an innovative preservation method for which a patent application has been submitted. What began with a simple principle of keeping sturgeon alive has evolved into a broader philosophy of responsible aquaculture, combining animal welfare, product quality, traceability and long-term sustainability.