AAK Expands Footprints in APAC

Ingredients firm AAK has been rapidly growing its footprint in Asia-Pacific across a number of categories, backed by plans for a new plant in the Philippines and a customer innovation center in Japan.  Part of AAK’s strategy for both these countries is to focus on applications within the chocolate and confectionery fats, as well as dairy, and special nutrition segments, according to a NutraIngredients-Asia Pacific report.  

In Asia-Pacific, AAK also has a presence in Australia, China, India, Malaysia, Singapore and other parts of Japan, in addition to the new Tokyo centre.  Michael Skriver, South East Asia regional director, AAK Singapore, and representative director, AAK Miyoshi Japan, said the firm has seen strong organic growth in all the Asian markets and had “good development in our core segments”.  Skriver said, with the recent move by some regional governments to take US and EU’s lead on banning the use of partially-hydrogenated oils, AAK is in prime position to seize market opportunities as it is “one of the first producers of vegetable oils and fats to develop a non-trans fat solution.”  

AAK will open a new innovation centre in Singapore third quarter this year that will function as the Asia Headquarters.  In Japan, a new customer innovation center is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter, which specially caters to processed food manufacturers in Japan.   In the Philippines, a plant is scheduled to be operational by year’s end.  This will be located on land owned by oils and fats refinery San Pablo Manufacturing Company in Batangas which is closely located to many of their key customers.