Ajinomoto Co. Increases Production Capacity for Brazil’s Top Brand of
Flavor Seasonings by 40 Percent in Response to the Remarkable Growth of
the South American Market
JPY 2 Billion Investment in Expansion of Existing Plant; Full-Scale Operation from August 2013
TOKYO, August 19, 2013 - Ajinomoto do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos Ltda. (Ajinomoto Brazil), a consolidated subsidiary of Ajinomoto Co., Inc. (Ajinomoto Co.), invested BRL 47 million (approximately JPY 2 billion)1 in 2012 to substantially expand its existing factory and increase production capacity for Brazil’s top brand of flavor seasonings,2 TEMPERO3 Sazón®. Full-scale operation began in August. As a result, production capacity is expected to increase by approximately 40 percent, enabling the company to continue meeting expected ongoing growth in demand and to further expand its business in Argentina, Chile and elsewhere in South America, in addition to Brazil.
Note 1. Brazilian real (BRL) 1 = JPY 42.97 (rate as of July 31, 2013)

Through aggressive marketing, TEMPERO Sazón® has gained acceptance among consumers in Brazil for its deliciousness, ease of preparation and convenience since its launch in 1988, and is now widely used in home cooking. Available in nine varieties for different applications, the product has maintained approximately 5 percent average annual growth in sales volume from fiscal 2008 to fiscal 2012. As of 2013, the 25th anniversary of the product’s launch, a cumulative total of approximately 3.5 billion 12-sachet bags of TEMPERO Sazón® have been sold. A solid brand with top market share, it is a core product for Ajinomoto Brazil.

Ajinomoto Brazil accounts for about 10 percent of the approximately JPY 200 billion in sales of the Ajinomoto Group’s overseas consumer foods business, and its sales are steadily growing. Ajinomoto Co. has designated strengthening and growing the overseas consumer foods business as one of the key principles of its FY2011-2013 Medium-Term Management Plan in order to become a genuine global company. The South American market for flavor seasonings accounts for 18 percent of the global flavor seasonings market, which Ajinomoto Co. estimates at approximately 1.1 million tons in 2011, and it is expanding steadily, with approximately 5 percent average annual growth. Ajinomoto Co. has positioned South America as an area for accelerated business expansion and aims to further increase sales of seasonings, mainly flavor seasonings, in Brazil as well as deepen and expand its business by developing markets in neighboring countries.

Overview of Ajinomoto do Brasil Indústria e Comércio de Alimentos Ltda.
(1) Location:State of São Paulo, Federal Republic of Brazil
(2) Established:1956
(3) Representative:Takaaki Nishii, President
(4) Number of employees:Approx. 2,800
(5) Businesses:Manufacture and sale of feed-use, pharmaceutical-use and food-use amino acids, seasonings, powdered soft drinks, cosmetics and other products

Overview of TEMPERO Sazón® Production Facility Expansion
(1) Production facility:Limeira Plant (State of São Paulo, Federal Republic of Brazil)
(2) Increase in capacity:Approx. 40%
(3) Start of operation:August 2013
(4) Details of capital investment:Building expansion and installation of packaging, blending and automated measurement equipment, pneumatic conveyor, silo for main raw materials, etc.
(5) Number of employees:Approx. 240
(6) Site area:Land: 4,800m2; Building: 3,000m2 (2 stories)


The Nine Varieties of TEMPERO Sazón®

Note 2. Flavor Seasonings
Flavor seasonings are blends of spices, salt, sugar, umami seasonings and other ingredients with extracts of meat, fish or vegetables. They are used in a wide range of dishes and applications, including soups, stir-fried dishes and pre-seasoning. In addition to TEMPERO Sazón®, brands such as Ros Dee® in Thailand, Masako® in Indonesia and Aji-ngon® in Vietnam are equivalent to HON-DASHI® in Japan or consommé, and can be used easily in preparing various home-cooked dishes in each country.

Note 3. TEMPERO
TEMPERO is the Portuguese word for seasonings.

About Ajinomoto Co.
Ajinomoto Co. is a global manufacturer of high-quality seasonings, processed foods, beverages, amino acids, pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals. For many decades Ajinomoto Co. has contributed to food culture and human health through wide-ranging application of amino acid technologies. Today, the company is becoming increasingly involved with solutions for improved food resources, human health and global sustainability. Founded in 1909 and now operating in 26 countries, Ajinomoto Co. had net sales of JPY 1,172.4 billion (USD 14.1 billion) in fiscal 2012. For more about Ajinomoto Co. (TYO: 2802), visit www.ajinomoto.com.

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