to Thailand, a subsidiary of Japanese ingredients firm Ajinomoto, has established a new facility in Ayutthaya Province with an investment of JPY17bn ($170m) for the production of AJI-NO-MOTO umami seasoning.The company held a completion ceremony on 15 July and has commenced full-scale operation at the facility, which employs about 568 people.
The facility will manufacture and package AJI-NO-MOTO umami seasoning and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 64,000t, which will allow stable supply of the ingredient in neighbouring countries.
The move will facilitate the future growth of AJI-NO-MOTO, umami-based flavour seasoning Ros Dee and menu seasoning Ros DeeMenu.
According to Ajinomoto, the Ayutthaya factory features new technologies to achieve energy savings and reduction in CO2 emissions as well as improved production efficiency with minimal environmental impact.
AJI-NO-MOTO umami seasoning accounts for approximately 40% of the Ajinomoto Group's annual sales of about JPY200bn ($2.01bn) in overseas consumer foods business.
As part of its fiscal 2011-2013 Medium-Term Management Plan, Ajinomoto is working to further expand and strengthen its overseas consumer foods business in order to become a global company.
Ajinomoto Thailand has been expanding its seasonings business in Thailand for over 50 years.
The company has seen double-digit growth in the emerging Asian countries in its three mainstays of AJI-NO-MOTO, other flavour and menu seasonings, and canned coffee products.
Ajinomoto Thailand will drive future expansion of the business as a core component of the Ajinomoto Group by expanding into new regions and fields and increasing its presence in the growing seasonings market.
Ajinomoto is a global manufacturer of seasonings, processed foods, beverages, amino acids, pharmaceuticals and speciality chemicals, with operations in 26 countries worldwide.
