by Dr Rahim Said
Bangkok is usually all about mango sticky rice and pad thai (tangy stir fried noodles), but last week I found myself at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre, wandering through Vitafoods Asia, where the world’s nutraceutical nerds gather to show off their latest health hacks.
Picture aisles of capsules, powders, and supplements that all look suspiciously like they belong in grandma’s medicine cabinet. Yawn.
And then — bam! — I stumbled across a booth that felt like it had crash-landed from the future.
Bright branding, Sabah pride plastered across the banner, and snacks that made me stop mid-scroll on my phone. Ladies and gents, meet Kunak Lipids Sdn Bhd, the new kid on the global wellness block.
Now, Kunak Lipids isn’t just any company. They’re part of Sawit Kinabalu, and they’ve taken something most of us overlook — palm-based byproducts — and turned them into superhero fuel.
Their secret weapon? Tocotrienols. If that sounds like a spell from Harry Potter, you’re not far off. They’re members of the vitamin E family, usually living in the shadow of their flashier cousin, tocopherols.
But Kunak Lipids is done letting them play sidekick. Instead of boring bottles, they came armed with:
Cookies that sneak antioxidants into your snack time. Energy bars that make your granola look lazy.
Chocolate flakes you can stir into a glass of hot milk or smoothie for a bulletproof beverage. (Yes, I tried them, and yes, I felt like Iron Man after my first sip.) By the way, the dark chocolate is from Kota Marudu, another of Sabah’s hidden gems.
Orally disintegrating films (ODF) — thin strips that melt on your tongue and deliver instant health vibes. Imagine a breath strip, but with superpowers.
Datin Stella Ambrose, Deputy CEO of Sawit Kinabalu, was holding court at the booth. She told me, “From cookies with your coffee to a strip before gym — we wanted tocotrienols to fit into everyday life.” Translation: health that doesn’t taste like cardboard. Finally.
And guess what? The world was paying attention. By the end of the show, Kunak Lipids had bagged a Letter of Intent with a major Asian nutraceutical manufacturer starting January 2026. And a global distributor known for pushing sustainable products is ready to catapult Sabah’s goodies onto shelves worldwide. Not bad for its first appearance at Vitafoods Asia.
Here’s the part I love most: this isn’t just about fancy snacks. It’s about flipping the script on palm oil’s bad reputation. Kunak Lipids is proving you can take what’s usually tossed aside and turn it into something sustainable, valuable, and — let’s be real — delicious.
Walking out of Vitafoods, I couldn’t help but grin. Most booths gave me the vibe of a pharmacy aisle. Kunak Lipids gave me cookies, chocolate, and tongue-melting superhero strips. If that’s the future of wellness, sign me up.
So, here’s my hot take: this was Sabah’s Avengers Assemble moment. Kunak Lipids just put Malaysia on the global wellness map, and this is only Level One. Stay tuned—the sequel’s going to be epic.
WE