Rousselot is part of the wider Netherlands-based food group VION, which will own 51% of the joint venture (JV) company Rousselot Jellice KKwith Jellice owning the remaining 49%.
“The joint venture is a new step in Rousselot’s ambitions for growth in Japan and other Asian markets," a company representative told FoodNavigator-Asia.
The company has been operating in Japan for nearly 30 years, she said, but the pooling of strengths from both companies will increase market efficiency and sales in the domestic market.
Rousselot has strong international operations, including a global R&D centre and a broad product range that will combine with Jellice’s strength in its Japanese industrial facilities.
“In our growing business, we needed an appropriate production facility to adjust gelatine quality for Japanese special demands,” the spokesperson said.
“Jellice is a well-established company on the Japanese market,” she said,“they have state-of-the-art industrial facilities in the country that will help Rousselot to strengthen its supply chain and end-product presentation.”
Joining forces
Jellice will benefit from Rousselot’s organization, supply chain, and its global R&D centre.
This new joint venture builds on a 10-year working relationship between the two companies, with Rousselot supplying gelatines to the Japanese firm.
This supply of gelatine ingredients will continue, and Jellice will blend them for sales and distribution by the new JV company in Japan’s domestic market.
Rousellot already has a production network of 13 plants and 10 sales offices in Europe, North America, South America and Asia. Its Japan business is located in Tokyo.