Good eating = Green eating

We create better lives globally by contributing to significant
advances in Food and Health and by working for Life.
Our Solution for the Future We Want
Good eating = Green eating
Creating a food-future good for people,
good for the earth.
Our products
all over
the world
Foods / Beverages
Feed-use Amino Acids
Co-products (such as fertilizers)
Corporate Vision of
the Ajinomoto Group
To become a global group of food
companies centered on the world’s
No. 1 seasoning business
The history of the Ajinomoto Group
started 103 years ago with the discovery
of umami.
Foods
Amino acids
Pharmaceuticals
and Health
Now we conduct business globally in a
range of fields strongly associated with
life, including foods, amino acids,
bioscience products and fine chemicals,
pharmaceuticals and healthcare.
To become a group of health-promoting
companies with a scientific approach
to good taste and health
Bio-fine
To become a global group of Amino
Science companies that contributes
to humankind with the world’s No. 1
amino acid technology
Resolve issues for 21st century human society
through our businesses
We will contribute to the solution of
problems faced by humankind in the 21st
century through our business operations.
Global Sustainability
Food Resources
Healthy Living
Optimize environment
and natural resources
Utilize non-edible
materials
Address under and over nutrition
Adopt to aging society trends
From Japan to the World
103
years
The Ajinomoto Group has sales
in 130 countries, operating in 26
countries and has 105 plants
around the world.
The total number of employees
is almost 30,000 and about 60%
of them work outside Japan.
“To create good, affordable
seasonings and turn simple but
nutritious fare into delicacies.”
—Dr. Kikunae Ikeda,
My Motivation for Inventing AJI-NO-MOTO®.
Dr. Kikunae Ikeda
Discoverer of
the umami taste
Saburosuke Suzuki II
Founder of
the Ajinomoto Group
Create “New Value”
Display “Pioneer Spirit”
1908
Umami was discovered by
Dr. Kikunae Ikeda, who had
the strong desire to
"improve the nutrition of
Japanese people"
1909
Saburosuke Suzuki II began
selling AJI-NO-MOTO®, the
world's first umami
seasoning
Having sales in
130
countries
30,000
employees
Having
105
plants
Our Solution for the Future We Want
Creating a food-future good for people, good for the earth.
Food isn't just about flavor, or balanced nutrition.
By changing how we eat, we can make people—and the planet—healthy.
This is our vision for a new food-future.
It's why we believe Good eating = Green eating.
From production, to cooking, to eating.
Change how 7 billion people eat, and the whole world changes.
It is time to move from a model of food as a resource unilaterally taken from the earth,
to one that involves giving back to nature that in turn rewards us with even greater bounty.
Over the 103 years since the company was launched with the discovery of 'umami',
we have accumulated wide-ranging expertise and technologies involving food and amino acids,
the building blocks of life.
With our expertise, we can create a circle of life where people and other life on the earth
support each other, contributing to global sustainability, stable food resources and healthy living.
This is the Green Economy the Ajinomoto Group is working to achieve.
Our Approach toward Green Economy
Protecting and nurturing
Making the best use of
Achieving
Providing a
natural resources
resources and recycling
low-carbon
sustainable lifestyle
business and society
through our products and services
We will endeavor to maintain the soundness
of natural capital through innovations in our
manufacturing processes and through
ecological surveys and research.
We deem it as the basis of our business to
repeat the cycle of making the best use of
resources and recycling t hem f or t he
growth of new lives.
We aim to improve our society by making
both our product manufacturing processes
and the entire lifecycles of our business and
products more carbon-neutral.
We are delivering environmentally friendly
products to societ y and people’s dining
tables while making proposals for bet ter
health and medical care.
We can solve food-related problems
for the sound future of people and the earth.
Why We Need to Take Action
Urgent problems faced by the global community
The food supply-demand balance is becoming lost.
This loss of balance will make it difficult to achieve sustainable growth and eradicate poverty.
At present, the world
The world in 2030
has the population of 7 billion people and we are already facing stringency in the
supply of resources.
will have a population of 8.3 billion people, who will impose an even greater load
on the global environment.
Mankind
7 billion
The earth
1:1.5
people are living on the earth
8.3 billion
1:2
Our Ecological Footprint compare to
the earth’s biocapacity
*WWF Living Planet Report 2010
Global Sustainability
A rise in the world’s
temperature over the next
100 years or so is predicted
based on the assumption
that world economic growth
will continue based on
intensive use of fossil fuels *1.
The earth
people will be living on the earth
Our Ecological Footprint compare to
the earth’s biocapacity
*UN, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision
Mankind
+4.0°C
World’s
temperature
*1. Fourth Assessment Report of Working Group 1 of
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
Food Resources
An additional 70% food
production increase is
projected in 2050 compared
to the 2005 level *2.
+70%
Food production
*2. Agricultural Outlook 2009-2018, OECD-FAO
Healthy Living
World population
suffering from
undernourishment*3
Overweight adults,
aged 20 and older,
with a BMI of over 25 *4
1
billion
people
1.5
*3. Agricultural Outlook 2010-2019, OECD-FAO
*4. Fact Sheet No. 311, WHO
billion
people
Our Approach toward Green Economy
Protecting and nurturing
natural resources
Making the best use of
resources and recycling
Making Efficient Use of
Natural Resources
Bio-cycle: A Highly Resource-efficient Amino Acid Production
Nurturing Riches of
the Land
Co-products: Returning the Benefits to Local Communities
The Ajinomoto Group launched its business with a view to contributing to the health of
people through the efficient production of glutamic acid (one of amino acids), which adds an
umami taste to food. Glutamic acid is contained abundantly in kelp and tomatoes, but if
these foodstuffs are used to mass-produce umami seasoning (e.g. AJI-NO-MOTO ®), they
could face depletion. To avoid this, we have made efforts in amino acids production over 100
years, in pursuit of highly resource-efficient fermentation method.
Nowadays, as raw materials for amino acids, we use sugar cane, cassava and other plants
that are readily available in the regions our amino acid production plants are located, and
also process the Co-products generated in the production process into fertilizers and feed
for the benefit of local communities. As a fundamental business philosophy, the Ajinomoto
Group has been implementing this resource recycling-oriented amino acid production,
which we call “Bio-cycle,” across the world for more than 30 years.
In our amino acid production process, nutrient-rich liquid is left over after extracting amino
acids from the fermentation liquors. We regard this liquid as part of the precious bounty of the
fields. We call such by-products “Co-products,” which we process into value-added
products such as fertilizers and feed.
The fertilizers are used by local farmers to grow a range of plants, such as vegetables, sugar
cane, corn, coffee, oranges, pineapples and gum trees. We are thus making the best use of
materials for the growth of new lives.
Resource Efficiency
Assuming that the annual production of AJI-NO-MOTO® is
500,000 tons and if all of this was made from kelp, the
annual kelp production volume of kelp needed would be 833 times the yearly
average of kelp produced in Japan.
833x
200 million
tons of tomatoes
Assuming that the annual production of AJI-NO-MOTO® is
500,000 tons and if all of this was made from tomatoes,
200 million tons of tomatoes would be needed.
Nurturing Marine
Resources
Environmental Vitalizing Concrete
The degradation of microalgae in turn leads to the degradation of marine ecosystems.
Believing that amino acids can help vitalize water sources, we began conducting research
to develop concrete containing amino acids. We call the concrete thus developed
“Environmental Vitalizing Concrete,” and this works by releasing amino acids slowly in
bodies of water. In experiments conducted on the concrete, it was confirmed that the
concrete fostered growth of microalgae and attracted fish and shellfish.
This organic concrete is expected to help improve the compatibility of natural and
manmade objects, and now demonstrative experiments are under way in at least 20
locations in Japan.
Reuse Rate
Nearly
100%
Reuse rate as the Co-products generated in the Ajinomoto Group’s
amino acid production process
More Efficient Use of
Farmland
Feed-use Amino Acids
Demand for farmland has been increasing in line with rises in the world’s population. The
development of new farmland, however, is often at the cost of deforestation and it is therefore
essential to make more effective use of existing farmland.
Part of soybean meal contained in conventional compound feed for livestock can be replaced with
corn and feed-use amino acids provided by us without changing the nutritional balance of the feed.
The yield of corn per unit of land is about three times higher than that of soybeans and so the
replacement of soybean meal with corn will lead to more effective use of farmland.
Saving Farmland
-70%
farmland
If 50 tons of soybean meal contained in 1,000 tons of conventional
high-protein feed is replaced with corn and feed-use lysine, 70% of
farmland can be saved.
Fostering Growth
Grow th level of microalgae in water areas where the
Environmental Vitalizing Concrete was installed as compared
faster microalgae growth with the growth of microalgae in ordinary water areas
5-10x
Monitoring Marine
Resources
Joint Tagging Survey into Pacific Coast Skipjack
In order to monitor and deepen understanding of skipjack stock, which represents
the raw material for HON-DASHI®, one of the main products of Ajinomoto in Japan,
Ajinomoto Co., Inc. has been conducting the Joint Tagging Survey into Pacific
Coast Skipjack with the National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries (NRIFSF)
since fiscal 2009.
For sustainable fisheries, we think it is important to obtain basic data about skipjack
for deeper understanding of the stock and also to provide fisheries stakeholders
with information about the changes to the stock.
The Ajinomoto Group’s basic
concept of business established
for the future of humanity and the Earth
Reduction of Waste
We are working to control the generation of waste to ensure
optimum use of limited resources. At the same time, we are
committed to making full use of waste generated. To this end, we
are fostering the recycling of Co-products and introducing new
technologies to improve the efficiency of our amino acid production.
Resource
Recovery
Ratio
99.4%
Resource recovery ratio at all the Ajinomoto Group production bases
in fiscal 2010
Conservation of Water Resources
In order to reduce the high concentration of nitrogen and high
BOD levels in wastewater from our amino acid production
bases, we are implementing measures to control pollutant
sources and develop advanced treatment technologies. In
addi tion, we are s triving to reduce the use of water by
developing water-saving processes.
Per-unit volume of discharged water at all the Ajinomoto Group
production bases in fiscal 2010 (compared to fiscal 2002 levels)
Water
Saving
-77%
Achieving low-carbon
business and society
Providing a sustainable lifestyle
through our products and services
Use of Biomass Energy
Prevention of Overnutrition
Introduction of Biomass Boilers
Delicious and Satisfactory Dietary Life
In addition to reducing our CO 2 emissions by making innovations in the amino acid
production process and making more effective use of resources, we are also implementing
measures to utilize by-products as biomass energy.
For example, we have introduced biomass boilers, which use bagasse as fuel, to our plants
in Brazil. In Thailand, we are using biogas generated from the process of producing amino
acid using cassava, and also fostering the use of rice husks, which are unused local
resources, as fuel. We are thus launching unique local initiatives in each region.
Excessive nutritional intake, which could result in chronic diseases and obesity, is
becoming a major social problem. In response, food ingredients containing less salt, less
sugar and less fat have been developed, but we think that these ingredients lack good
texture and flavor and are not delicious enough to satisfy eaters. In addition to developing
more delicious ingredients, we have also launched joint research with a research institute
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study how effectively umami in food helps reduce
excessive calorie intake by satisfying appetite. We will continue to conduct activities to
help people improve their health while enjoying their food.
CO2 Emissions Reduction
Annual CO 2 emission reductions achieved by the installation (and
operation in fiscal 2012) of a biomass boiler at the Laranjal Paulista
Plant in Brazil
Prevention of Undernutrition
CO2 reduction
Annual CO 2 emission reductions expected to be achieved (in fiscal 2013)
by the introduction (in 2008) of the equipment using biogas as fuel to the
Kamphaeng Phet Plant in Thailand
AIN Programs
100,000t
Annual CO 2 emission reductions achieved by the introduction of a boiler
using rice husks as fuel to Kamphaeng Phet Plant in Thailand
24,000t
CO2 reduction
16,800t
CO2 reduction
Spreading Environmentally
Friendly Livestock Farming
Feed-use Amino Acids
There are amino acids that tend to be deficient in conventional livestock feed, and a
deficiency of just one amino acid reduces the effectiveness of all the other amino acids
and they end up being excreted as nitrogen compounds, which might burden soil and
damage water quality. Moreover, part of the compound is emitted into the air as N 2 O,
which contributes to global warming.
We are helping the sound growth of livestock and the reduction of their environmental
impact by providing feed-use amino acids to supplement deficient amino acids.
N2O Reduction Effects
-30%
N2O emissions
The greenhouse effect of N 2O is about 300 times that of CO 2 . The use
of low-protein feed containing feed-use amino acids leads to a 30%
reduction in the amount of nitrogen contained in animal waste.
As a group of companies that contributes to global health, the Ajinomoto Group considers
the improvement of nutrition in developing countries to be an important mission.
On this basis, we launched the AIN program in 1999, the 90th anniversary of the company's
founding. The AIN program solicits project applications from NGOs and NPOs based in
countries around the world, and then gives financial support to the selected projects.
In addition, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., together with the Ajinomoto Group companies in the
country where the program is implemented, is supporting local education on nutrition. We
have so far supported 59 projects in 12 countries.
The Ghana Nutrition Improvement Project
In Ghana, the traditional meal for infants in their weaning period is a porridge that is
deficient in nutrition balance, and this food is a major cause for stunted growth among
children in the country.
To remedy this situation, we are developing food that can help improve infants’ nutrition by
making use of our technologies and know-how on food processing and amino acid nutrition.
We are fostering this project in cooperation with a range of partners, including three
international NGOs and the Ghana Health Ser vice, with which we concluded a
memorandum of understanding. At present, we are striving to launch the local production
of the food, aiming to establish a social business model for nutrition improvement.
People Benefiting
80,000
people
Reduction of CO2
Among the many environmental issues related to global
sustainability, global warming and climate change present
some of the most important challenges for people around the
world. The Ajinomoto Group is working to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions not just in the production process but across its
business activities.
CO2
Reduction
Effects
-43%
Per-unit CO 2 emissions from the Ajinomoto Group production sites
in fiscal 2010 (compared to fiscal 2002 levels)
The Ajinomoto Group Zero Emissions Plan
With the aim of minimizing environmental impact from all the business fields, we
implement the plan with numerical targets for the Ajinomoto Group worldwide.
Ajinomoto International Cooperation Network for Nutrition and Health
Number of people benefiting from the AIN program (actual data for
the period from 1999 to April 2012)
To the Future—
Helping People Improve
Their Health
Amino Acids for Medical Use
Continuing
t
tinuing
to Take
Tak on
Challenges
enges to Cont
Contribute
t
to
the Future of Food
F
for
Peoplee acrosss th
tthe World
Helping People Improve Their Health through the Use of
a Wealth of Expertise on Amino Acids
Amino acids play an essential role as nutritional supplements to pre-operation and
post-operation patients and as materials to be used for the production of pharmaceuticals.
Moreover we are fostering the application of amino acids for the development of drugs that
control digestion, absorption, metabolism and excretion of food and nutrients.
Based on “clinical nutrition” as represented by infusion solutions and food for medical use,
we will provide unique products focusing on digestive disorders and metabolic diseases to
help patients across the world increase their quality of life.
Share
The global market for high-quality amino acids, which are mainly used for
pharmaceuticals, is estimated at over 24,000 metric tons annually, and the
global share Ajinomoto Group holds the leading global share of approximately 40 percent.
40%
in
2030
8.3
Supporting the Realization
of Eco-lifestyle
Eco-living Starting from the Kitchen
billion people
While implementing measures to develop eco-friendly products, including the use of
environmentally friendly packaging materials, we introduce recipes and ideas for easy and
waste-saving cooking to help people lead eco-friendly lives at their home.
In Japan, we hold cooking classes for children and their parents, give commendations to
elementary schools students who have summarized their food-related environmental
activities in diaries, and solicit and introduce power-saving ideas and recipes that can be
adopted by households via our website. We plan to implement these initiatives in other
countries as well.
Products all
over the world
Umami Seasonings
AJI-NO-MOTO®
Seasonings
Foods
Beverages
Feed-use Amino Acids
Co-products (such as fertilizers)
Pharmaceuticals
Functional foods
Cosmetics
etc.
1
Loyal
Users
billion
people
We aim t o incr ease t he loyal
users of the Ajinomoto Group’s
products and services, including
food, bioscience products and fine
chemicals, pharmaceuticals and
healthcare products, to 1 billion
people by 2013.
The Ajinomoto Group, the history of which
started with the discovery of umami, has
developed into a globally unique corporate
group that can make contributions in the fields
of food, healthcare and pharmaceuticals
capitalizing on its leading-edge amino science.
We will continue to make contributions to the
creation of a sustainable society by globally
fostering our business in a range of fields that
are strongly associated with life.
We will continue taking on challenges for the
benefit of all people who want to lead healthy
lives and of the earth, which provides home to
all creatures.
Good eating=Green eating
Creating a food-future
good for people,
good for the earth.
In Brazil
Over 50 years in Brazil
Since 1956, AJINOMOTO DO BRASIL dedicates itself to offering high quality
products for retail, as well as supplies for food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and
animal nutrition, in the agribusiness and food service industries.
Business Operations
AJINOMOTO DO BRASIL operates over 5 businesses in Brazil:
Food Production and Sale of
Products for Final Consumers
Focus on retail products for end
consumers and Food Service
products for professional use.
Amino Science
Sales of amino acids for miscellaneous
purposes, such as their application in
foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals
and cosmetic products.
Food Ingredients
Production and sales of flavor enhancers
and enzymes for the food industry.
Animal Nutrition
Supply of feed-use amino acids, particularly
in feed formulation for swine and poultry.
Agribusiness
Co-products generated in the production of
amino acids are processed into fertilizers
that are used in several types of plantations.
Our Challenges
Federative
Republic of
Our Sites
Brazil
AJINOMOTO DO BRASIL is based on the
state of São Paulo, at five locations; the
main office in São Paulo city, and four
Limeira
industrial plants located in the São Paulo
Pederneiras
countryside, specifically, in the cities of
Valparaíso
Limeira, Laranjal Paulista, Valparaiso
and Pederneiras. T he company has
around 2,600 employees and attends to
Laranjal Paulista
São Paulo
the domes tic market as well as the
foreign market.
São Paulo is the most influential Brazilian city in the global scene in terms of
cultural, economic and political aspects. The countryside is the most important
region for the production of sugar cane, the main raw material used by all the
company’s plants.
Protecting and nurturing
Making the best use of
natural resources
resources and recycling
Achieving
Providing a
low-carbon
sustainable lifestyle
business and society
through our products and services
NEW Advanced Bio-cycle Launched
Chemical
fertilizer
at the Laranjal Paulista Plant
Boiler ash
Syrup extracting
process
By-product
Organic
fertilizer
CO2
Absorption of atmospheric
CO 2 by photosynthesis
Sugar cane fields
Laranjal
Paulista Plant
Harvest
Purchasing sugar cane
(as part of raw materials)
Laranjal Paulista Plant
MSG
Sun
Sugar
production plant
Sugar cane
Bagasse
Gas Woodchips
Raw sugar and molasses
(sugar cane syrup)
Raw sugar
Features of the advanced Bio-cycle
Sugar cane
In June 2012, the Laranjal Paulista Plant in Brazil will
renovate the Bio-cycle, which the Ajinomoto Group has
established as a system for amino acid production.
By using sugar cane not only as a material for amino acids but
also as an energy source, the plant will further enhance the
Bio-cycle to make it more carbon-neutral and make the best
use of local resources.
-24,000 t
CO2 emissions
Purchase sugar cane as part of raw materials (about 10% of the
total) from contracted farmers in addition to raw sugar.
Make use of bagasse and woodchips procured from outside as
well as the bagasse generated from the factor y ’s sugar cane
syrup extraction equipment as fuel.
Newly install a biomass boiler within the factory to supply about
70% of steam required by the entire factory from the boiler.
The use of carbon-neutral biomass, which absorbs CO 2 , will help
to reduce CO 2 emissions substantially.
Woodchips
Bagasse
Co-product s such as the Ajifer ® generated from by-product
fermentation liquid and also ash remaining after the incineration
of bagasse will be utilized as soil conditioners.
AJIFOL®
Feed-use amino acids
Zero Emissions Activities
A foliar fertilizer developed in Brazil
Supporting the livestock industry in Central and
South America
Adoption of MVR equipment
The Ajinomoto Group developed AJIFOL® spray fertilizer by
making adjustments to amino acids and minerals contained in
co-products so that they will be effectively absorbed by
plants through their leaves.
This product is manufactured and sold mainly in South
America and Southeast Asia. It is used on soybeans,
vegetables, and fruit trees. Farmers have commented that
the product has resulted in increased yield as well as the
sound growth of plants.
The feed-use amino acid business has seen continued
expansion, driven by increased consumption of meat in Asia
and Central and South America, and the business has
become one of the core businesses of the Ajinomoto Group.
The amino acids the Ajinomoto Group is producing in Brazil
are widely used in the Central and South American areas and
are also exported to Europe and the United States.
Based on the Group-wide plan, we are also fostering Zero
Emissions activities in Brazil.
Our plants in Brazil use natural gas as fuel, and in order to
increase their energy ef ficiency, we introduced the
mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) equipment to our
major five plants in the country by 2008. At the plants, CO2
emissions have been reduced by about 50,000 tons compared
with those before the equipment was in use.
-50,000 t
CO2 emissions
Corporate Overview
Company Name
Head Office
Foundation
Business Segments
: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
: 15-1, Kyobashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku,
Tokyo 104-8315, Japan
: May 20, 1909
Establishment
: December 17, 1925
Paid-in Capital
: ¥79,863 million (as of March 31, 2012)
Net Sales
: ¥1,197.3 billion (FY 2011)
Operating Income : ¥72.6 billion (FY 2011)
Domestic Food
Products
: AJI-NO-MOTO, HON-DASHI, Cook Do, soups, mayonnaise and mayonnaise-type
dressings, PAL SWEET, amino VITAL, frozen foods, beverages, etc.
Overseas Food
Products
: AJI-NO-MOTO, flavor seasonings, soups, instant noodles, beverages, Umami
seasonings for processed food manufacturers, etc.
Bioscience Products : aspartame, specialty chemicals, amino acids for feed-use, pharmaceutical-use,
& Fine Chemicals
food-use, etc.
Pharmaceuticals
: pharmaceuticals, medical foods
Business Tie-Ups
: edible oils, coffee products
Others
: distribution, various services, etc.
For more information about our activities:
Visit the website at http://www.ajinomoto.com/csr to see Ajinomoto Group CSR Report and Environmental Report
http://www.ajinomoto.com