Bulgarian dairy company LB Bulgaricum and the Japanese dairy corporation Meiji will be building a joint research laboratory. That transpired after a meeting of Bulgarian Economy and Industry Minister Bogdan Bogdanov with senior Meiji officials, Bogdanov's Ministry said Monday.
The future laboratory will focus on the development of new projects and the exploration of new common markets, as well as on venturing into other sectors. It is expected to be launched in 2024. Representatives of Meiji are expected to arrive in Sofia next week to finalize the project.
Attending the meeting with Minister Bogdanov were Meiji Holdings President Kazuo Kawamura and Meiji Company President Katsunari Matsuda.
The Minister is quoted as saying that the partnership between LB Bulgaricum and Meiji is significant for the development of Bulgaria-Japan cooperation. Bogdanov was speaking at the headquarters of the Japanese corporation in Tokyo, where Bulgarian yogurt’s 50th anniversary on the market was officially marked, his Ministry said.
The cooperation between Bulgaria and Meiji dates back to 1973 with the first sales of Bulgarian yogurt in Japan. Thanks to the cooperation, the yoghurt made by using Bulgarian technology is now recognizable to nearly 95% of Japanese consumers.
"Joint investment in a research laboratory in Bulgaria is one of our top priorities. We expect the new project to be launched in Bulgaria next year. We are laying the foundations for cooperation for the next 50 years," Bogdanov said.
Bogdanov is paying an official visit to Japan, where his agenda includes meetings with Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and Japan Bank for International Cooperation Governor Nobumitsu Hayashi.
The Bulgarian delegation also includes Deputy Minister of Economy and Industry Nikolay Pavlov, LB Bulgaricum Executive Director Ivaylo Lilov, Bulgarian Ambassador to Japan Marieta Arabadjieva, among others.
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