Ajinomoto unit grows coffee trees in Japan as consumption rises

TOKYO -- Japan has traditionally relied on coffee imports, but a steady rise in consumption has led one company to start growing the crop domestically in the hope of selling the beans for use in a premium version of the beverage.

Ajinomoto AGF, a subsidiary of Japanese food giant Ajinomoto, plans to sell one ton of the first homegrown beans in 2022.