Latest news with #Ajinomoto
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
V2Food buys US alt-meat peer Daring Foods, strikes Ajinomoto tie-up
Australian alt-meat company V2Food has acquired US-based Daring Foods and entered into a 'strategic partnership' with Japanese food giant Ajinomoto. V2Food has acquired vegan business Daring Foods for an undisclosed sum and signed a tie-up with Ajinomoto to develop what the Japanese group's CEO described as "next-generation, clean-protein products". Daring Foods will continue to operate under its own brand and be a platform for V2Food to launch products across in the US. V2Food said it was working with Ajinomoto on "initiatives" in Africa and "emerging" markets in Asia. Tim York, V2Food's CEO, said: 'For several years, V2Food has been the number one plant-based meat company in Australia and, through the acquisition of Daring, we are excited to be able to introduce our world-class product range into the USA market." York took over the top position at V2Food in 2023 after former CEO Nick Hazell stepped down. V2Food was launched in 2019 with investment from Hungry Jack's founder Jack Cowin, Australia's national science agency CSIRO and Main Sequence Ventures. He added: 'By combining our technological capabilities with Ajinomoto's global scale and deep expertise in food science, alongside Daring's proven market success, we're creating a powerful platform for sustainable nutrition that doesn't compromise on taste or quality.' Founded in 2018 in Scotland by Ross Mackay and Elliott Kessas, Daring Foods moved its headquarters to the US and launched there in 2020. Mackay, who had been CEO, left last year. Daring Foods produces a range of plain, flavoured and breaded plant-based chicken pieces, wings and patties, as well as alt-chicken ready meals. Jeffrey Gendelman, Daring Foods' CEO, said: 'Together, we see an opportunity to shape the future of our space in a way none of us could have achieved alone. 'With V2Food's technology platform and Ajinomoto Co.'s expertise supporting us, we're in the best position yet to deliver on our consumer promise at both pace and scale.' V2Food and Ajinomoto believe their tie-up will lead to the "rapid scaling of plant-based solutions to meet rising global demand for sustainable protein alternatives" using the Japanese group's infrastructure. Ajinomoto president and CEO Shigeo Nakamura said: Our 'Eat Well, Live Well' philosophy aligns perfectly with V2Food's vision to develop next-generation food solutions that meet rising consumer demand for sustainable, nutritious alternatives.' "V2Food buys US alt-meat peer Daring Foods, strikes Ajinomoto tie-up" was originally created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Barnama
31-07-2025
- Science
- Barnama
Science Castle Malaysia Expands STEM Access For Sarawakian Students
KUCHING, July 31 (Bernama) -- The Science Castle Malaysia 2025 programme in Kuching today aims to expand STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education access for students in Sarawak, particularly those with strong potential in research and innovation. Ajinomoto (Malaysia) Berhad executive director and chief production officer Yong Kum Cheng said that based on the experience of organising the previous instalment of Science Castle Malaysia, there were major challenges for students in Sabah and Sarawak to participate in the programme due to cost and logistical constraints. Speaking at a press conference after the programme's launch today, Yong said Ajinomoto believes technology is key to nation-building, and Science Castle serves as a platform to support that goal. 'That's why we ensure the programme is inclusive - whether students are from Kuching, Sibu or rural areas, all are welcome to participate and learn through hands-on experience, not just theory,' he said. He added that factory visits and industry expert sessions help students visualise their future paths and understand how they can contribute using their knowledge. 'Students studying biology, chemistry or physics can see how their knowledge applies in fields like automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and natural resource management,' said Yong. Meanwhile, Science Castle Malaysia project chief, Muhammad Basril Muhammad Asri, said the programme is open to secondary school students, without specific themes or criteria, as long as projects relate to science and technology. 'We want to spark interest early without burdening students with complex assessments. It's about applied, hands-on learning,' he said. Muhammad Basril added that nearly 500 students joined this year, reflecting Sarawakian students' strong enthusiasm and confidence in sharing ideas.
Reuters
30-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Japan's food inflation to intensify in July, survey shows
TOKYO, June 30 (Reuters) - Japanese households will get no respite from rising living costs with a five-fold increase expected in the number of food items set to experience price rises in July, a private think tank survey showed on Monday. The finding highlights mounting inflationary pressure in Japan's once deflation-prone economy, which some policymakers view as an early sign of widespread, sustained price rises that may require raising interest rates further. A survey conducted on 195 major food makers showed they expect to hike prices for 2,105 items in July - up fivefold from year-before levels - by an average 15%, Teikoku Databank said. Aside from rising raw material prices and utility bills, companies cited increasing transportation and labour costs as reasons for the price hikes, the report released by Teikoku Databank showed. "The momentum for food and beverage price hikes is stronger in 2025 than that of the previous year," the report said. Prices were set to rise for a range of items including those made of rice, as well as chocolate, chewing gum, potato chips and pasta sauce. Among companies that announced plans to hike prices from July 1, Ajinomoto AGF plans to raise prices for its coffee items by about 25-55%, and Meiji will increase prices for cheese and milk by up to 11%. A renewed rise in crude oil prices due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East could spark a revival of the price hike rush Japan experienced in 2022, when prices increased for a total of 25,768 food and beverage items, Teikoku Databank said. After raising its short-term policy rate to 0.5% in January, the BOJ has kept borrowing costs steady despite core consumer inflation hitting a more than two-year high of 3.7% in May, exceeding its 2% target for well over three years. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda has stressed the need to move cautiously in raising rates until inflation is driven more by solid consumption and higher wages, rather than rising raw material costs. But the central bank's argument that rising food and fuel costs are likely temporary, and not a justification for raising rates, is being tested by persistent rises in the cost of living that may affect public perceptions of future price moves, analysts say. A government survey on Monday showed 93.6% of consumers polled in May expect prices to rise a year from now, up from 93.2% in April, with 55.5% projecting inflation of 5% or higher. The BOJ's quarterly "tankan" survey on companies, due on Tuesday, will highlight the challenge it faces in balancing mounting inflationary pressure, and risks to Japan's fragile economy from steep U.S. tariffs. Analysts polled by Reuters expect an index measuring big manufacturers' business sentiment to worsen to +10 in the June survey from +12 in March. The focus would be on whether companies will retain their solid capital expenditure plans despite uncertainty over U.S. trade policy. Big firms surveyed in the tankan are expected to increase capital expenditure by 10% in fiscal 2025 from year before levels, the Reuters poll showed.
CNA
30-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Japan's food inflation to intensify in July, survey shows
TOKYO: Japanese households will get no respite from rising living costs with a five-fold increase expected in the number of food items set to experience price rises in July, a private think tank survey showed on Monday (Jun 30). The finding highlights mounting inflationary pressure in Japan's once deflation-prone economy, which some policymakers view as an early sign of widespread, sustained price rises that may require raising interest rates further. A survey conducted on 195 major food makers showed they expect to hike prices for 2,105 items in July - up fivefold from year-before levels - by an average 15 per cent, Teikoku Databank said. Aside from rising raw material prices and utility bills, companies cited increasing transportation and labour costs as reasons for the price hikes, the report released by Teikoku Databank showed. "The momentum for food and beverage price hikes is stronger in 2025 than that of the previous year," the report said. Prices were set to rise for a range of items including those made of rice, as well as chocolate, chewing gum, potato chips and pasta sauce. Among companies that announced plans to hike prices from Jul 1, Ajinomoto AGF plans to raise prices for its coffee items by about 25 to 55 per cent, and Meiji will increase prices for cheese and milk by up to 11 per cent. A renewed rise in crude oil prices due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East could spark a revival of the price hike rush Japan experienced in 2022, when prices increased for a total of 25,768 food and beverage items, Teikoku Databank said. After raising its short-term policy rate to 0.5 per cent in January, the BOJ has kept borrowing costs steady despite core consumer inflation hitting a more than two-year high of 3.7 per cent in May, exceeding its 2 per cent target for well over three years. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda has stressed the need to move cautiously in raising rates until inflation is driven more by solid consumption and higher wages, rather than rising raw material costs. But the central bank's argument that rising food and fuel costs are likely temporary, and not a justification for raising rates, is being tested by persistent rises in the cost of living that may affect public perceptions of future price moves, analysts say. The BOJ's quarterly "tankan" survey on companies, due on Tuesday, will highlight the challenge it faces in balancing mounting inflationary pressure, and risks to Japan's fragile economy from steep US tariffs. Analysts polled by Reuters expect an index measuring big manufacturers' business sentiment to worsen to +10 in the June survey from +12 in March. The focus would be on whether companies will retain their solid capital expenditure plans despite uncertainty over US trade policy. Big firms surveyed in the tankan are expected to increase capital expenditure by 10 per cent in fiscal 2025 from year before levels, the Reuters poll showed.
News18
13-06-2025
- Health
- News18
Uncle Roger Slams Ranveer Brar's Take On Ajinomoto: 'Why Giving Fake News?'
Last Updated: Chef Ranveer while preparing fried rice warned against using Ajinomoto (MSG), saying it is unhealthy for children and may cause "memory loss". Chef Ranveer Brar, one of India's most celebrated culinary personalities, is admired not only for his exceptional cooking skills but also for mentoring aspiring chefs and creating food-centric films that celebrate his passion for cuisine. Recently, he caught the attention of popular content creator Nigel Ng, better known as Uncle Roger, who reviewed Ranveer's Indian-style fried rice in his trademark humorous and light-hearted style. While the video was full of jokes and entertaining commentary, one particular moment stood out and is now getting a lot of attention online. In the clip, Chef Ranveer is seen preparing fried rice and warns against using Ajinomoto (MSG), saying it is unhealthy for children and may cause memory loss. MSG, or Monosodium Glutamate, is a common flavour enhancer often used in Chinese cuisine. He even joked further, 'Who need therapy when you can just forget your trauma?" The video was captioned, 'Memory loss not always bad thing." Watch the video here: The video gained traction online and accumulated over two million views. The comments section was filled with mixed reactions. One user jokingly wrote, 'I've been eating MSG since I was kid and still remember my childhood traumas." Another added, 'One guy 'expert' that went to a Chinese restaurant said he had a headache the day after—and after that, MSG has been vilified." On the other hand, some users still expressed concern. 'Yes, it does. Unfortunately, it's toxic and it builds up in your brain. It even kills brain cells, and it's harmful in different ways," one comment read. An individual shared, 'See, I love you, Uncle Roger, but believe me, I would still hesitate to add MSG in my daily cooking. I'm okay consuming it in small portions outside in hotels. This is due to decades of MSG being looked down on in India. Not sure where it started, but it's something we've all grown up hearing." Towards the end of the review, Uncle Roger praised Chef Ranveer's dish and called it well-made and flavourful. He also shared his thoughts on Indian-Chinese cuisine, saying that he finds it 'interesting" because it brings together Chinese techniques and Indian ingredients in a unique fusion.
