Asahi Group Foods Co., Ltd.
Started culturing yeast for yeast extract in Japan and expanded production volume of yeast extract
Initiatives aimed at contributing to the food crisis caused by future global population growth Asahi Group’s capital investment from 2022 to 2025 is expected to be 4.4 billion yen
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Asahi Group Foods (Headquarters Tokyo, President Hiroshi Kawahara) will begin culturing yeast for yeast extract in Japan from January 2024, expanding production of yeast extract. The cultivation of yeast will be outsourced to Asahi Breweries’ Ibaraki Factory (address: Moriya City, Ibaraki Prefecture), and the yeast extract will be manufactured at Asahi Group Foods’ Tochigi Koganei Factory (address: Shimotsuke City, Tochigi Prefecture). Domestic production of yeast extract in 2026 is expected to increase to approximately 5,700 tons, 1.5 times the previous level.
By collaborating with Asahi Breweries on yeast cultivation, we will expand the production volume of yeast extract and become a raw material in the yeast extract market, which is growing due to the recent increase in global demand for plant-based foods*1 and processed foods. In addition to stabilizing supply, we aim to contribute to the future food crisis caused by global population growth and the expansion of new lifestyle options for consumers, such as
vegetarianism and veganism*2.
Capital investment for this project is expected to be 2.5 billion yen for Asahi Group Foods from 2022 to 2025, and 1.9 billion yen for Asahi Breweries by 2024.
[Image 1: https://prtimes.jp/i/59194/250/resize/d59194-250-40764c4aef7e3e3d5aa2-1.jpg&s3=59194-250-e770117ada9164dceadabb46dbd045a1-939×379.jpg] Yeast is a single-celled microorganism with a diameter of 5 to 10 μm. Yeast extract is extracted ingredients contained in yeast. Because it is made from natural ingredients, it is a safe and secure food material, and is mainly used in seasonings due to its umami components such as amino acids.
The Asahi Group has been making effective use of brewer’s yeast, a byproduct of the beer manufacturing process, for a long time, and has been working on the development of pharmaceuticals and foods, including Ebios*3, which was released in 1930. Currently, Asahi Group Foods is developing a BtoB business by converting beer yeast generated during Asahi Beer’s beer manufacturing process into extracts and processing them into powders, pastes, liquids, etc. at Asahi Group Foods’ Tochigi-Koganei factory. It is sold domestically and
internationally and is used in a wide range of fields including food, health foods, biotechnology, cosmetics, and pet food.
In recent years, in response to the increasing demand for yeast extract, the supply of beer yeast has decreased along with the decrease in beer production, so Asahi Group Foods has outsourced the cultivation and production of yeast to overseas manufacturers and imports it. However, now we have established the technology to culture yeast using beer brewing tanks at Asahi Breweries’ Ibaraki factory, making it possible to achieve integrated domestic production within the Asahi Group.
In addition, yeast cell walls*4, which are a by-product obtained in the yeast extract manufacturing process, are high in dietary fiber and protein, so they are an upcycled material that can be used in a variety of ways to address the protein shortage expected in the future. . In addition to using it in our own health foods, we will also consider using it for even higher added value in the future. *1 Foods using plant-derived raw materials
*2 A lifestyle where you are a vegetarian and do not eat foods derived from animals.
*3 Currently, Asahi Group Foods sells the gastrointestinal and nutritional supplement “Ebios Tablets” as a designated quasi-drug. *4 The part that surrounds the yeast like a shell. Currently, it is mainly used as a raw material for feed, fertilizer, etc.
[Reference] Yeast extract production process derived from cultured yeast
[Image 2: https://prtimes.jp/i/59194/250/resize/d59194-250-4ee768b620824c189066-3.png&s3=59194-250-617022a95f6a6123d0c4fbaa27e38600-1078×387.png ]
This article has been partially generated with the assistance of AI.