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{{Short description|Thai beverage company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Osotspa
| logo =
| type = [[Public company|Public]]
| traded_as = {{SET|OSP}}
| genre =
| foundation = {{start date and age|1891}}
| founder =
| location = [[Bang Kapi District|Bang Kapi]], [[Bangkok]], Thailand
| area_served = Worldwide
| key_people = [[Petch Osathanugrah]], Chairman of the Executive Committee and CEO
| industry = [[Beverage industry|Beverage]]
| products =
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
| assets =
| equity =
| parent =
| num_employees =
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| subsid =
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| homepage = {{URL|http://www.osotspa.com}}
| footnotes =
}}
'''Osotspa Public Company Limited''' ({{langx|th|บริษัท โอสถสภา จำกัด (มหาชน)}}) is a Thai beverage producer of drinks such as [[M-150 (energy drink)|M-150]] and ''[[Shark Stimulation]]''. It is based in [[Bangkok]].
== History ==
The origins of Osotspa date back to 1891.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-10-27|title=Red Bull’s Thai Rivals Top Global Peers on Overseas Ambition|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-27/red-bull-s-thai-rivals-top-global-peers-on-overseas-ambition|access-date=2020-10-10}}</ref> Founded by Chinese immigrants in Bangkok's Chinatown, the business was originally named Teck Heng Yoo before changing its name to Osotspa after World War II. King [[Vajiravudh]] granted the honorary surname of Osathanugrah, which means "provider of medicine" in Thai, to the founding family after one of their products helped end an outbreak of dysentery in the Thai army.<ref>[https://www.forbes.com/sites/rgluckman/2019/05/15/thailands-richest-2019-former-chart-topping-ceo-aims-to-amp-up-128-year-old-energy-drinks-company/ Rockstar CEO Aims To Amp Up 128-Year-Old Energy Drinks Business]</ref> The business is still family-owned.<ref name="bangkokpost.com">{{cite web |title=Osotspa plans IPO for next year |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/457343/osotspa-plans-ipo-for-next-year |website=www.bangkokpost.com}}</ref>
In 1959, King [[Rama IX]] granted a [[Royal Warrant (Thailand)|royal warrant]] to the company, giving it permission to use the royal [[Garuda]] emblem. In 1965, the company began to import ''[[Lipovitan]]-D'' ("Lipo") energy drink from Japan's [[Taisho Pharmaceutical]] Company. Despite being classified as a [[pharmaceutical]], it became very popular among working men. Osotspa began to manufacture the product under licence from Taisho Pharmaceutical in 1969.<ref name="Osotspa">{{cite web |url=http://www.osotspa.com/ |title=Heritage |author= |year=2010 |work= |publisher=Osotspa  |accessdate=January 13, 2011}}</ref>
In 1970, ''[[M-150 (energy drink)|M-150]]'' was launched, which became the most successful product of the company. In 1978, regulations were changed that reclassified pharmaceutical products as food and beverages. This created new opportunities for product development. As a result, ''Magnum'', which contained more [[caffeine]] than Lipovitan-D, was launched in 1980.<ref name="Osotspa"/>
The market share of Osotspa increased along with total sales, and grew to 100 million bottles by 1989. The [[electrolyte]] drink ''M-Sport'' was launched in 1990, followed by ''Magnum 357'' in 1998. ''SHARK'' energy drink was launched in [[Austria]] in the same year.<ref name="Osotspa"/>
In 2000, ''SHARK Cool Bite'' was launched, globally under the name ''SHARK Energy''. ''Hang'' was introduced in 2003 as a cure for [[hangover]]s. ''M-150'' was also introduced in [[powder (substance)|powder]]ed form, with sales reaching 10 million [[sachet (package)|sachet]]s per month. ''M-Max'' was launched in 2004 and is only sold in Thailand. The following year ''SHARK Up'' and ''SHARK Lite'' were launched. In 2007, ''M-150'' was launched to new markets in Europe and [[South America]]. This drink sold over 700 million units per year by 2008.<ref name="Osotspa"/> This makes Osotspa the leading energy drink producer in Thailand,<ref>{{cite web |title=Thailand: Energy drink nation |url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/thailand/100914/energy-drink-red-bull |website=globalpost.com |publisher=Public Radio International |language=en}}</ref> and one of the leading in the world.<ref>{{cite web |title=Manhattan Associate |url=http://www.manh.co.uk/resources/press-releases/2011/08/05/thai-drinks-brand-osotspa-selects-manhattan-scale-central-distribution-centre-bangkok |website=manh.co.uk |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104152143/http://www.manh.co.uk/resources/press-releases/2011/08/05/thai-drinks-brand-osotspa-selects-manhattan-scale-central-distribution-centre-bangkok |archivedate=2014-01-04}}</ref>
As of 2010, Osotspa has offices in [[Innsbruck]], [[Larnaca]], [[Santiago de Compostela]], [[Harlow, Essex]] and [[Torrance, California]].<ref name="Osotspa"/> The company also plans to invest in Burma.<ref>{{cite web |title=Osotspa, Myanmar's Loi Hein set up beverage joint venture |url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Osotspa-Myanmars-Loi-Hein-set-up-beverage-joint-ve-30255319.html |website=The Nation |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Osotspa eyes Myanmar sales |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/588813/osotspa-eyes-myanmar-sales |website=bangkokpost.com |publisher=Bangkok Post Public Company}}</ref>
The company was listed on the [[Stock Exchange of Thailand]] (SET) in October 2018, helping boost the Osathanugrah family's net worth to $3 billion.<ref>{{cite web |title=Osathanugrah family |website=[[Forbes]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626055539/https://www.forbes.com/profile/osathanugrah-family/ |archive-date=2023-06-26 |url-status=live |url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/osathanugrah-family/}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* [http://www.osotspa.com/ Homepage of Osotspa]
[[Category:Food and drink companies of Thailand]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Bangkok]]
[[Category:Thai Royal Warrant holders]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1891]]
[[Category:Food and drink companies established in 1891]]
[[Category:1891 establishments in Siam]]
[[Category:2018 initial public offerings]]
[[Category:Companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand]]
[[Category:Companies in the SET50]]
[[Category:Personal care companies of Thailand]]
[[Category:Siam companies established in 1891]]