Mission of research and development

Message from the CTO

Interest in sustainability has further increased over recent years. This is also the case in the food industry, and action on climate change and consideration for the environment are now mandatory across all processes in the supply chain, from production of raw materials to manufacturing, logistics, and disposal.

At the Fuji Oil Group, we aim to develop food ingredients that ensure the health of people and the planet, and have focused on plant-based raw materials since our founding. While placing importance on maximum utilization of raw materials and the idea of upcycling, we have developed a variety of plant-based food (PBF), such as functional oils and fats based on palm and other raw materials, chocolate ingredients and emulsified and fermented ingredients such as and plant-based creams that utilize these functional oils and fats, isolated soy protein and soy meat that uses pressed soybean meal, and soluble soybean polysaccharides. Furthermore, on the basis of our research into oils, fats and protein, we have successfully developed MIRACORE^® technology that achieves a level of flavor and satisfaction equal to that of animal-based products, and have begun to develop our high added-value PBF business.

The Research Institute for Creating the Future has created a timeline of future events up to 2050 on the basis of an analysis of issues that will be faced by society in future, and is working on the development of new technology and ingredients to solve these issues. The institute also works proactively on co-creation based on open innovation, and will support the growth of the Fuji Oil Group through technology, including the development of technology to acquire raw materials in a way that avoids geopolitical risks and production technology to save energy and lower the environmental burden.

We believe that our links with overseas group companies is extremely important in the Fuji Oil Group’s sustainable growth strategy. As such, the Global R&D Strategy Group will play a leading role as we work to strengthen links between Global Innovation Center Europe and the development departments of overseas group companies to provide new technology developed in Japan to overseas group companies, share information on new technology from overseas and market trends outside Japan, and for other purposes.

As a group of food experts contributing to the health of people and the planet, we shall aim to be a sustainable food platformer.

Message from the Research Institute for Creating the Future

By 2050, 17% of the global population, which will have reached nine billion, will be 65 or over, and around half of them (4.3 billion people) will be suffering from obesity, diabetes, or dementia. While CO2 emissions will fall to around a fifth of their current levels through productivity improvement, it is forecast that less than 80% of the demand for palm oil and only 40% of the demand for cacao can be met, so closing this gap in supply and demand represents a business chance. Meanwhile, after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, we now see the outbreak of the war between Palestine and Israel, and stability has finally disappeared from the world and uncertainty is increasing. In order to survive in this highly uncertain world, we believe that we must further deepen our research into vegetable oils and fats and plant-based protein and build highly resilient technology to support the food supply system for future generations. We will work to deliver a bright future by resolving issues faced by society from a long-term perspective while also incorporating the idea of technology marketing as we target domains with the potential for growth in the near future and develop new markets in the short-to-medium term. We believe that the future is not something that you wait for, but it is something that we can build ourselves. The slogan of the Research Institute for Creating the Future is “Making plant-based food more delicious and creating a sustainable and bright future”, and both in Japan and overseas, we shall strengthen our links to the partners, with whom we share our passion, and contribute to the health of people and the planet.