Ajinomoto Co. to Increase Production Capacity for Umami Seasoning in Vietnam

11 Jul 2016 --- Japanese company Ajinomoto Co. have announced that they will increase production capacity at its Bien Hoa Factory in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam to approximately 1.2 times the current level to meet growing demand in the country for umami seasoning AJI-NO-MOTO.

Capital investment will total approximately USD 20 million and completion of construction is scheduled for August 2017.

Ajinomoto Co. launched umami seasoning AJI-NO-MOTO in Vietnam in 1991 and has increased sales volume since then, with growth averaging 6% annually since fiscal 2011.

Based on an Ajinomoto Co. survey, the market for umami seasonings in Vietnam was approximately 160,000 tons in fiscal 2014, the second largest in the world after China. Umami seasonings are widely used in local home cooking and restaurant dishes, and the market is expected to grow at a rate of 2-3% annually, backed by factors such as rising average income and population growth.

To meet this growth in demand, Ajinomoto Co. Vietnam will increase its production capacity for AJI-NO-MOTO at its Bien Hoa Factory to approximately 1.2 times the current level with integrated production from raw materials to packaging for stable supply in Vietnam.

In its FY2014-2016 Medium-Term Management Plan, the Ajinomoto Group positions Vietnam as one of its major growth drivers, as well as one of its core focus countries in ASEAN and Latin America.

For rapid growth in Vietnam, the Ajinomoto Group is strengthening the supply structure for AJI-NO-MOTO, as well as continuing activities in the country. These include environmentally conscious production activities such as the resource recycling amino acid fermentation process, as well as the promotion with local governments of a school meal project to distribute nutritionally balanced meals to elementary schools. Additionally, they’re working on a project to enhance nutrition education and to introduce a certification system for nutritionists. 

The Ajinomoto Group aims to contribute to global sustainability and healthy living through its business activities.