Japan's Meiji plans to sell Bulgarian yogurt throughout Asia

The joint research and development laboratory between the state-owned company LB Bulgaricum and the Japanese corporation Meiji will be ready by the end of the year. This became clear during a meeting between Prime Minister Rumen Radev and representatives of the Asian company.

The laboratory was first discussed in 2023, when the two companies signed a Letter of Intent, and the commitment was confirmed at the institutional level by the then-Minister of Economy and Industry, Nikola Stoyanov, and the then-Japanese Ambassador to Bulgaria, H.E. Hiroshi Narahira. Toward the end of the year, it was announced that the R&D center – which was planned to focus on research and innovation in the dairy sector – would launch as early as 2024. The agreement to establish the facility in Sofia was ultimately signed in October 2024.

The successful implementation of the project is expected to contribute to cooperation between the two companies and have a positive impact on the bilateral economic partnership. According to Radev, the purpose of the laboratory is to lead to new scientific discoveries and the development of innovative functional foods and probiotics.

Meiji is not just a strategic partner. The company is an ambassador for Bulgaria in Japan, because through you, the name of our country enters every Japanese home,” he noted.

For his part, Meiji President and Representative Director Bunjiro Yao noted that the collaboration will build on the existing partnership and create new opportunities that will benefit both countries. According to him, the corporation intends to distribute Bulgarian yogurt not only in Japan but also in other Asian countries.

During the meeting, the prime minister also highlighted the growth of Japanese investment in Bulgaria, as well as the potential for expanding the partnership in the fields of energy, electronics, and artificial intelligence.

Translated with DeepL.