Sellers of mango sticky rice in Hua Hin have reported a boom in sales after the popular Thai dessert was thrust into the international spotlight.
The frenzy for the sweet treat came after 19 year old rapper Milli became the first Thai to perform solo at the Coachella festival in California, and marked the occasion by eating the dessert on stage.
Following her performance, demand for mango sticky rice has skyrocketed, with Milli’s performance and the dessert gaining international attention.
One of Thailand’s most popular food delivery apps told Thai language media that orders for mango sticky rice or khao nieo mamuang had more than tripled in the 24 hours after Milli performed at Coachella.
According to Ms. Veranan Huekhanjiraroj, owner of Por Pailin Hua Hin who sells mango sticky rice at two locations in Hua Hin – in the morning at Chatchai Hua Hin Fresh Market and in the evening at the dinosaur market, sales have risen significantly since Milli’s performance on Saturday (April 16).
Ms. Veranan said that many new and returning customers had come to buy mango sticky rice.
She said that she was able to sell 30kg of coconut flavoured sticky in rice in an hour when it would normally take more than two hours to sell the same amount.
March and April are typically the best months to buy mango sticky rice because it is the peak of mango season when there is a lot of fruit available and prices remain low.
In Hua Hin many of the mango sticky rice sellers use golden Nam Dok Mai mangoes from the orchards in Sam Roi Yot.
The district is the province’s major source of Nam Dok Mai mangoes which are known for their high quality and sweet flavour.
Sticky rice with coconut milk is normally available for 180 baht per kilogram.
Seasonal mango costs between 20 and 30 baht per kilogram when sold in a ready-to-eat box for 50 to 80 baht.
