January 13, 2004 - Tokyo - Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc.
(President: Masatoshi Ito, Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan) will establish
a joint venture with Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd. (“Betagro”)
for the production of frozen processed pork products in February 2004.
The two companies will sign an agreement for the joint venture on January
15.
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. and Betagro established a joint venture, Ajinomoto
Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd., in 1995 to produce frozen
processed chicken products. The joint venture has since steadily expanded
its exports to Japan. The new company, Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods
Co., Ltd., will combine fresh, high-quality pork supplied from a network
of stockyards that use Betagro’s specific-pathogen-free (SPF) breeding
technology with Ajinomoto’s product development capabilities, processing
technologies and marketing power to develop the frozen pork processed
product business. Its sales target in Japan is 4 billion yen in 2009.
The new company, which will produce high-quality frozen pork products
for customers in Japan, will be the first frozen pork processed product
export factory in Thailand with an integrated supply network from raw
material to final product. This initiative is part of Ajinomoto’s efforts
to strengthen its raw material supply system, and is one measure for
ensuring “reliable quality” by using the company’s own resources from
raw material through production.
Ajinomoto plans to further strengthen supply of key raw material
in the frozen food business to establish world-class standards as the industry
leader
Profile of the New Company
1) Company name:
|
Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods
Co., Ltd.
|
2) Capital:
|
390 million baht (approx. 1.1 billion
yen)
|
3) Shareholder
composition:
|
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Group 51.0%
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc. (34.3%)
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (16.7%)
Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd. 49.0%
|
4) Headquarters:
|
Lop Buri, Thailand
|
5) Representatives:
|
Chairman: Masaya Tochio (currently
President, Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Chairman,
Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd.) President: Vasit
Taepaisitphongse (currently Vice President, Betagro Co., Ltd. and President,
Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd.)
|
6) Establishment:
|
February 2004
|
7) Start of sales:
|
May 2005 (planned)
|
8) Number of employees:
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Approx. 200 (planned)
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9) Site/Building area:
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Site: approx. 24,800 m2
Building: approx. 12,000 m2
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10) Business:
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Manufacture and sale of frozen foods
|
11) Principal products:
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Pork cutlets, grilled pork, stewed
pork products (pork belly stew, etc.) and others
|
12) Product
characteristics:
|
(1)
|
Use of pork with SPF breeding
technology
Swine bred with SPF technology lack five specific disease-causing
bacteria: Toxoplasmosis, Swine dysentery, Aujeszky's disease, Mycoplasma
pneumonia, and Atrophic rhinitis.
1. Reliable quality 2. Low odor 3. Tender, tasty meat
|
(2)
|
A food processing plant will
be established next to the meat processing plant, enabling an integrated
production system from raw material to finished product. The company will
supply fresh products, including one-time frozen products.
|
|
(For reference)
Profile of Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd.
1) Company name:
|
Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd.
|
2) Headquarters:
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Bangkok, Thailand
|
3) Established:
|
1967
|
4) Capital:
|
580 million baht (approx. 1.6 billion
yen)
|
5) Shareholders:
|
Betagro Holding Co., Ltd.
|
81.6%
|
Taepaisitphongse Family
|
13.3%
|
Others
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5.1%
|
|
6) Business:
|
Operation of 27 group companies centered
on agricultural business
|
7) Net sales:
|
Approx. 20 billion baht (approx.
56.0 billion yen) in 2002
|
8) Representatives:
|
Chairman: Chaivat Taepaisitphongse
President: Vanus Taepaisitphongse
|
9) Number of employees:
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Approx. 2,200
|
Profile of Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc.
1) Company name:
|
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc.
|
2) Headquarters:
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
3) Established:
|
October 2000
|
4) Capital:
|
9.1 billion yen
|
5) Shareholders:
|
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. 100%
|
6) Business:
|
Manufacture and sale of frozen foods
|
7) Net sales:
|
Approx. 105.0 billion yen in the
year ended March 31, 2003
|
8) Representative:
|
President: Masatoshi Ito
|
9) Number of employees:
|
Approx. 1,000
|
Profile of Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
1) Company name:
|
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand)
Co., Ltd.
|
2) Headquarters:
|
Ayutthaya, Thailand
|
3) Established:
|
September 1990
|
4) Capital:
|
105 million baht (approx. 300 million
yen)
|
5) Shareholders:
|
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co.,
Inc.
|
80%
|
Ajinomoto Co., (Thailand) Ltd.
|
20%
|
|
6) Business:
|
Manufacture and sale of frozen foods
|
7) Net sales:
|
Approx. 4.0 billion yen in the year
ended March 31, 2003
|
8) Representative:
|
President: Masaya Tochio
|
9) Number of employees:
|
Approx. 800
|
Profile of Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand)
Co., Ltd.
1) Company name:
|
Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand)
Co., Ltd.
|
2) Headquarters:
|
Bangkok, Thailand
|
3) Established:
|
April 1995
|
4) Capital:
|
150 million baht (approx. 400 million
yen)
|
5) Shareholders:
|
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co.,
Inc
|
33.3%
|
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods (Thailand)
Co., Ltd.
|
16.7%
|
Betagro Agro-Group Public Co.,
Ltd.
|
50.0%
|
|
6) Business:
|
Manufacture and sale of frozen foods
|
7) Net sales:
|
Approx. 3.0 billion yen in the year
ended March 31, 2003
|
8) Representatives:
|
Chairman: Masaya TochioPresident:
Vasit Taepaisitphongse
|
9) Number of employees:
|
Approx. 700
|
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