Morinaga Nutritional Foods, the latest link in the Japan’s dairy major’s chain of global expansion, will handle functional and food ingredients, including Bifidobacterium longum BB536 and other probiotics, whey proteins, lactose, lactoferrin and hydrolysates for use in high-value nutritional products such as infant formulas by global and local customers.
“Singapore is now becoming a focal point for major global infant formula manufacturers and raw material suppliers as a location to strengthen their sales activities in southeast Asia and Pacific Rim countries. Thus we selected Singapore for the base of our ingredient sales activity in the region,” said Ko Shiino, a general manager of Morinaga Milk.
“The location will enable the new subsidiary to better and faster serve its Asia-Pacific customers and meet the growing market demand.”
“We are well prepared to take this step to expand our ingredient business in the area and contribute to human health and nutrition throughout the world.”
Morinaga Milk, which achieved net sales of US$5bn in 2015, is a market leader in Japan where it produces brand-name products across the yogurt, milk, infant formula, beverage, cheese, butter, ice cream, pudding, dietary supplements and clinical foods segments.
It began a process of international expansion in 1972 with the establishment of German subsidiary Milei and has been actively expanding exports of its functional and food ingredients, such as probiotics, lactoferrin and whey protein to leading infant formula manufacturers.
The company also has joint-ventures and subsidiaries in China, the Netherlands, Indonesia and America for the sale and production of dairy products, infant formulas, food ingredients and long shelf-life tofu.