TOKYO/TAIPEI -- Ajinomoto, the 112-year-old Japanese food maker most famous for its monosodium glutamate seasoning, has emerged as a surprising beneficiary of the upheaval caused by the pandemic.
While its spices and sauces have struggled as lockdowns devastate the restaurant industry, the company's unexpected sideline as a supplier of a high-tech film for the computer chip industry has been booming -- helping Ajinomoto report a record operating profit last quarter.