Reduction of food loss and waste has always been a serious global problem, up to 2.5 billion tons per year according to the ‘Food Waste Index Report (United Nations Environment Program, 2021)’. This represents about 17% of global food production and represents significant negative environmental, social and economic impacts. 

To reduce food loss and waste, Ajinomoto is constantly striving to realize efficient use of raw materials and food that customers have used or disposed of throughout the product lifecycle through close cooperation, and from that, we have managed to build lasting trust with our suppliers and consumers. In addition, we also upgrade and optimize our supply chain management to reduce waste generated during the distribution process.

According to the medium-term management plan 2020-2025, Ajinomoto aims to extend the healthy life expectancy of one billion people. At the same time, Ajinomoto is committed, in the long term, to reducing food loss and waste arising throughout the entire product life cycle, from raw material receipt to the hand of consumers in order to reduce the negative impact of food consumption on the environment by 33% in 2022 and 50% in 2025 compared to 2018.

According to our definition, food loss and waste can be divided into edible and inedible parts. The main types of food loss and waste that arise include the following:

• Food loss during production

• Food loss during distribution

• Expired, damaged goods returned

Food loss & waste operation

During more than 30 years of establishment and development, Ajinomoto Vietnam has always adhered to the Group's important common business principle, called The Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Values - ASV, with the aim of reducing food loss and waste. food. These are also the number 1 priorities of Ajinomoto Vietnam's shared value creation activities. Ajinomoto Vietnam has implemented a series of activities to minimize food loss and waste by::

• Improve the production process, reduce manufacturing errors

• Reduce the amount of damaged/out of date raw materials by coordinating with Sales Department to develop a plan to improve the accuracy of estimation on damaged/out of date materials

• Reduce the amount of damaged/out of date products through optimization of delivery deadlines by smooth coordination with manufacturers, distributors, and sales

• Reduce problems arising in standard procedures by setting up a barcode system and unifying material names, thereby minimizing the misuse of material errors

• Diversify the menu at the canteen to reduce food waste as a result of excess

Ajinomoto has achieved Zero Food loss (food loss is excluded). The products/materials (damaged or redundant)  in the production process have been reused or recycled without being discharged into the environment. This amount of food can be used as animal feed or used to produce fertilizers for agricultural production. 

UNEP - UN Environment Program. 2021. UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 26 February 2022].