Japan’s Marubeni takes a stake in AIG

Marubeni announced that the deal was made through its wholly owned Singapore-based subsidiary Marubeni Growth Capital Asia Pte. Ltd. (MGCA), on October 6.

AIG is a major distributor of food and functional ingredients in Vietnam and also owns extensive manufacturing facilities and an in-house laboratory for product development, which positions it as a unique integrated food solutions provider. This has enabled AIG to formulate food ingredient solutions tailored to its clients’ needs and to extend its capabilities beyond distribution through the manufacture and sales of branded packaged food products.

Following this deal, Marubeni becomes a strategic business partner of AIG. The Japanese company is committed to supporting AIG’s strategic business transformation and further expansion.

The deal is in line with Marubeni's strategy to capitalise on the food and beverage (F&B) sector. In 2022, Marubeni established the 'Next-Generation Corporate Development Division' to capture the growth of consumer businesses in Southeast Asia and the US, aiming to build a new consumer platform to help drive Marubeni’s growth in 2030 and beyond.

The investment in AIG is the second investment in the food and beverage sector by MGCA after its master-franchise partnership with Tim Hortons, one of Canada's largest restaurant chains, allowing MGCA to bring the company’s products to three countries in Southeast Asia.

Following the deal, MGCA will continue to focus on the F&B sector in Southeast Asia because of its particularly high-growth potential driven by key underlying consumer trends, and remains committed to creating value within the sector.

Marubeni Corporation of Japan said it plans to invest 12.7 billion JPY (117.7 million USD) for building an instant coffee processing plant in an industrial park in the southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau.

Marubeni Corporation will foster its investment in renewable energy, biomass, and hydrogen project to support Vietnam in achieving decarbonisation.

Packaged food producer KIDO Group has expanded its stake in Tho Phat Food Processing Co. from 25 to 68 per cent.