Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (“Ajinomoto Co.”) began full-scale sales of eight varieties of frozen Japanese foods throughout France in April. By collaborating with a major retailer to establish a sales channel in France and offering a full product lineup, Ajinomoto Co. aims to increase the penetration of the “AJINOMOTO brand” among French households.

The market in France for Japanese cuisine for home use and restaurant use, including seasonings, is growing. At approximately EUR 47 million (approximately JPY 5.6 billion*) in 2016, the market grew about 15% from the previous year, due to an increase in Japanese restaurants that mainly serve sushi. With Rugby World Cup 2019 and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in Japan, the popularity of Japanese cuisine is expected to increase further.

Given this market environment, since April 2016 Ajinomoto Co. has been conducting trial sales of “AJINOMOTO brand” frozen foods through AJINOMOTO FOODS EUROPE S.A.S., its consolidated subsidiary in France, at selected stores of the major retailer in the Paris area. Positive feedback from the retailer indicating that the products have contributed to increased frozen food sales led to this full-scale launch. This is the first nationwide rollout in France of “AJINOMOTO brand” frozen foods for consumers through a key European channel, and Ajinomoto Co. is aiming to gain recognition and market penetration for the “AJINOMOTO brand” with a total of eight varieties of frozen foods, including Gyoza and Karaage, that allow the deliciousness of a Japanese restaurant to be easily enjoyed at home.

In its FY2017-2019 Medium-Term Management Plan, Ajinomoto Co. has set a key strategy of ensuring food products business growth with a stronger regional portfolio, and is promoting the expansion of the frozen foods business in Europe, centered on specialty Japanese food products. Ajinomoto Co. will expand and enhance its product lineup to meet the demand of France’s growing Japanese food market and contribute to the health and well-being of local consumers through the development of product categories adapted to local eating habits and food culture.