Fuji Oil opens new laboratory at Wageningen Campus
The Japanese food ingredients company develops plant-based solutions, including specialty oils and fats, industrial chocolate, emulsified and fermented ingredients, and soy-based products. Through GICE, Fuji Oil aims to gain access to new technologies and scientific insights while applying the Group’s own expertise to future market opportunities in Europe and worldwide.
Working together on the future of food
Fuji Oil sees close collaboration as essential to developing food solutions that are sustainable, tasty and healthy for people and the planet. The company’s European innovation centre brings together researchers from different countries and connects them with partners from academia and industry.
The new laboratory gives the GICE team more opportunities to conduct research, exchange knowledge and work with partners on new technologies and products. Its location at Wageningen Campus places the team at the heart of an international ecosystem for food research and innovation.
More about Fuji Oil Group's journey to The Netherlands
Being part of this ecosystem will help Fuji Oil respond more quickly to changing societal and market needs. The company focuses in particular on plant-based food solutions and technologies that improve the functionality, effectiveness and sustainability of products and production processes.
Japanese tradition in Wageningen
Fuji Oil marked the opening with a ceremony that combined Japanese traditions with the company’s food expertise. The programme included a sake-barrel breaking ceremony and a ‘Fuji Inside’ menu featuring ingredients developed by Fuji Oil.
Tatsuji Omori, CEO of Fuji Oil Co. Ltd, and Rokuichiro Michii, Ambassador of Japan to the Netherlands, attended the ceremony. They were joined by Lowri van der Linden, Director Investment Projects and Deputy Commissioner at the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency; Ingrid Hijman, Alderman of the Municipality of Wageningen; and Gerda Feunekes, Managing Director of the Agrofood & Food Sciences Group at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research. Together with Liz Kamei, Managing Director of Fuji Europe Africa and Head of GICE, they officially opened the sake barrel.
From an office to a fully equipped laboratory
Fuji Oil first established an office in Wageningen in 2020. Oost NL supported the company in finding its place within the regional food ecosystem and connected it with relevant partners and stakeholders. The new laboratory is the next step in Fuji Oil’s development in East Netherlands.
From its new location in Plus Ultra III, Fuji Oil can further expand its partnerships, exchange knowledge and develop innovations that contribute to the future of food in Europe and beyond.
