Ajinomoto Foundation for Dietary Culture, history of establishment.
cultivated taste (From 80 years of history at Ajinomoto)

The value of "Dietary Culture" programs.

Having marked 70 years of doing business on the 54th year of the Showa Era, for one of our commemorative programs, we thought, should not be a Program that only shows appreciation for past events, we need to create a potential Dietary Culture program. Therefore, in May of the same year, we established a Dietary Culture center room (Group F) which is responsible for activities of Dietary Culture.
From the postwar years of recovery to the high-growth boon period, companies were trying to expand manufacturing, reduce costs, improve quality and seek methods for mass production and mass sales to respond to society's demands of economic recovery and growth.

However, as the economy has moved further toward a period of low growth led by the oil crisis in the 48th year of the Showa Era, big changes came out of the social environment which became the premise of business behavior.
The biggest change was generally referred to as, "diversification of values". Of course there was the background of "improved living conditions" which economic growth brought about. However, for companies this change meant to provide high quality products at a cheap price can no longer guarantee high sales performance ratings all the time any more.

If business activity has to originate with respect to the actual lives of consumers, not with the logic of manufacturing as they used to, during high-growth periods, it is quite important for companies to acquire cultural perspectives in close relation to society.

People have wide-ranging needs related to production and procurement of food; cooking methods, researching nutrition, and various eating habits particular to their surroundings, social and historical conditions of their own countries and areas. They have been developing a unique culture derived from their original diets combined with their own lifestyles. To contribute to academic research for "Dietary Culture" in a positive way means acquiring the cultural viewpoint which is necessary for companies aiming for the future, and also leads to encourage social contributions from a companies' perspective.