Fuji Oil Group
The Japanese company Fuji Oil Group is expanding its activities in Wageningen with an innovation center. It will be Fuji's first research and innovation center in Europe. They had already established an office in the world-renowned Food Valley food ecosystem. The move to East Netherlands was supported by Oost NL. Fuji produces specialty vegetable fats such as cocoa butter equivalents, chocolate compounds, coatings and fillings and combines its ingredients to provide solutions for plant-based foods.
Fuji Oil Group is a Japanese company. How did you find a location in Food Valley?
Liz Kamei, managing director of Fuji Europe Africa: "We started with an office in 2020. We wanted a place on the Wageningen Campus, because that would put us right in the middle of the Food Valley ecosystem. Kadans Science Partner - which develops and manages specialized buildings for innovative organizations in the food sector, among others - had plans for a second building on the campus, and we wanted to be part of that. Oost NL helped us with that."
Jurgen Sonneborn de Leur, Food Project Manager at Oost NL: "In projects like this, it helps to know a lot of people. We put Liz in touch with the right people who could speed up the process. This is one of the tasks that Oost NL is happy to take on for companies. Especially if you come from abroad, you can end up in a ‘big black box’ in a new region. We shine a light in that box and show the way.”
Liz Kamei: “When we first started in the Netherlands, we had no idea how to gain a foothold here. Thanks in part to Oost NL, we now have a great place and position in the ecosystem. And we have now signed a contract to set up a laboratory in Kadans’ third building, which will be our innovation center.”
Why are Fuji Oil and Oost NL a good fit?
Jurgen Sonneborn de Leur: “Fuji Oil is committed to sustainability in food. That is a priority and a sector that is high on Oost NL's agenda. That's where we find common ground. We are happy to welcome companies like Fuji Oil to the region.”
Liz Kamei: “We want to be a global leader in creating a sustainable future for food and contribute to the realization of the sustainable development goals, particularly the goals of nutritious food, human rights, and preventing deforestation. Europe is the gold standard when it comes to corporate social responsibility so that is a good reason for us to be located here.”
What does the Food Valley ecosystem mean for Fuji Oil?
Liz Kamei: 'We are located in an environment that is completely focused on food. For us as a newcomer to the Netherlands, that is fantastic. We meet one expert after another here. Oost NL regularly invites us to give presentations, which has made Fuji Oil better known and helped others find us. Brainstorming with like-minded people helps us make choices in our product development. For example, we are currently working with Wageningen University & Research to find plant-based alternatives for ingredients that are clean-label. One common example of an ingredient to be replaced is methyl cellulose, a binding agent for burgers. We are looking for an alternative that consumers know and understand.
We are located in an environment that is completely focused on food. For us as a newcomer to the Netherlands, that is fantastic. We meet one expert after another here.
Jurgen Sonneborn de Leur: “Fuji Oil also gives a lot back to the ecosystem itself. By sharing knowledge and always being open to collaboration. That is why Fuji Oil was nominated for The Deshima Netherlands Awards, for Japanese companies in the Netherlands.”
Liz Kamei: “Once we have our innovation center with a laboratory, we will be able to collaborate even more with other companies and knowledge institutions. We are looking forward to that.”
How does Fuji contribute to the appeal of East Netherlands?
Jurgen Sonneborn de Leur: “When Oost NL shows Japanese companies around here, Liz is always so helpful in telling them how Fuji Oil likes it here and how things work. Liz is one of our ambassadors. She shares the message of Food Valley and Oost NL with the world.”
Liz Kamei: "For us, those kinds of encounters are just as valuable. Recently, there was the Osaka Expo. Oost NL visited Japan with a group of entrepreneurs from East Netherlands. Oost NL asked me to give a presentation at the seminar in Japan and the entrepreneurs visited Fuji Oil in Osaka. This benefited Oost NL, the entrepreneurs, and Fuji Oil. My Japanese colleagues were able to offer samples of their ingredients in dishes prepared by a chef. This gave them information about the taste preferences of the Dutch.”
