Tokyo, November 22, 2007 - Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Inc. (President & CEO: Daiji Shindo; Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan) has constructed a new production facility of Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd., a joint venture between Ajinomoto Frozen Foods and Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd. (Betagro) in Thailand. The new facility is aimed at meeting the increased demand by ever-diversifying consumer needs, at the same time further pursuing quality excellence. In addition, new lines have been installed in a production facility, located adjacent to the new facility, of Ajinomoto Frozen Foods' another local joint venture producing frozen processed pork products, to further reinforce production capacity.
Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) was founded in 1995 as a joint venture between Ajinomoto Frozen Foods and Betagro, to produce frozen processed chicken products, and has since enjoyed steady increase of exports to Japan. Construction of the new production facility has been completed, and an opening ceremony will be held on Friday, November 23, 2007, in Thailand.
The new production facility is located on Betagro's Food Complex 2, 8 kilometers away from the existing plant. Seven lines were newly installed in the plant area of 22,000 square meters, to triple its current production capacity to 24,000 tons. Production operated by the existing plant has been shifted to the new production facility, which has been in operation starting October 22.
All chicken meat used as raw material by Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) is supplied by Betagro, who boasts extensively-monitored breeding process starting with feed. The new facility's integrated production process starting from raw materials to final products delivers safe and reliable frozen processed chicken products for export to Japan, such as "Kara-age (deep-fried chicken)", and "Grilled Chicken". New lines such as charcoal grill have been added to further reinforce quality excellence and product line-up.
The new production facility outline
1) Company name: Ajinomoto Betagro Frozen Foods (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
2) Location: Lop Buri province, Thailand
3) Founded: April 1995
4) New production facility operation: October 2007
5) Capital: 1,228 million bahts (approx. 4.2 billion JPY)
6) Employees: approx.1,300
7) Land and plant area: land approx. 36,045 sq. m.; plant approx. 22,200 sq. m.
8) Major products: kara-age (deep-fried chicken), roast chicken, charcoal-grilled chicken etc.
9) Permits obtained: Approval as exporting facility, issued by Department of Livestock, Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives
Approval as facility for heat treatment of the poultry meat (export permit # 171), issued by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan As a part of effort to further reinforce production capacity in Thailand, Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods Co., Ltd., a joint venture producing frozen processed pork products, has added new lines such as fry line, to increase current production line of four to six, aiming to more than double current annual production capacity to 9,000 tons. The new lines have been in operation since September 2007.
Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods boasts an advanced technology frozen processed pork production, facility utilizing Betagro's SPF(*) breeding technologies for pork meat as raw material. The production facility ensures integrated production process starting from raw materials to finished products, to deliver delicious food products that are also safe and reliable for consumers. Increased production lines are aimed at further reinforcing quality excellence and product line-up.
Footnote (*) : SPF - Specific-Pathogen-Free
Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods Co., Ltd. Corporate Outline
1) Company name: Ajinomoto Betagro Specialty Foods Co., Ltd.
2) Location: Lop Buri province, Thailand
3) Founded: February 2004
4) Facility operation: March 2005
5) Capital: 160 million bahts (approx. 500 million JPY)
6) Employees: approx. 500
7) Land and plant area: land approx. 25,400 sq. m.; plant approx. 12,000 sq. m.
8) Major products: Pork cutlets, skewered pork cutlets, char siu, kakuni etc.
9) Permits obtained: Approval as exporting facility, issued by Department of Livestock, Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Approval as facility for heat treatment of the meat of cloven-hoofed animals (export permit #149), issued by Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan
Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd. Corporate Outline
1) Company name: Betagro Agro-Group Public Co., Ltd.
2) Location: Bangkok, Thailand
3) Founded: 1967
4) Capital: 680 million bahts (approx. 2.3 billion JPY)
5) Shareholders: Betagro Holding Co., Ltd. (81.7%), Taepaisitphpngse Family (15.2%), Other (3.1%)
6) Business description: Operation of 27 subsidiary companies mainly focused on food and agricultural businesses.
7) Revenue: approx. 30 billion bahts (approx. 104 billion JPY) for fiscal 2006
8) Representatives: Chaivat Taepaisitphongse, chairman Vanus Taepaisitphongse, CEO
9) Employees: approx. 3,700
Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Ltd. Corporate Outline
1) Company name: Ajinomoto Frozen Foods Co., Ltd.
2) Location: 1-16-7, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
3) Founded: October 2000
4) Capital: 9.1 billion JPY
5) Shareholders: Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (100%)
6) Business description: Production and sales of frozen processed food products.
7) Revenue: approx. 116.3 billion JPY for fiscal 2006
8) Representatives: Daiji Shindo, President & CEO9) Employees: approx. 1,100