On 21 October, Kyowa Hakko Food Specialties Co., Ltd., Kirin Food-Tech Co., Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., and Kirin Holdings Co., Ltd. concluded an integration contract relating to the merger of the food products businesses (Kyowa Hakko Food Specialties and Kirin Food-Tech), which is planned to take place on 1 April 2009. The strategic business alliance that Kyowa Hakko Kirin Group and Kirin Group announced in October 2007 to maximize the groups’ synergies and increase their values is being carried out. The integration of the food products business is just one part of the overall plan, and based on the strengths of each company in fermentation-related technology, the new company, Kirin Kyowa Foods, aims to increase its value by proposing and delivering to customers appealing, tasty and healthy food products and ingredients.
