Associated British Foods is to launch a range of Japanese products under its Blue Dragon ethnic cuisine line in the UK.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The company, which makes a range of Chinese and Thai products, said today (4 December) that it would “pioneer” the “emerging consumer trend” for Japanese cuisine by launching eight products this month.


The group unveiled three noodle variants, three Yaki sauce lines, a katsu curry sauce jar, and a Katsu curry meal kit.


Tracy Hughes, consumer and trade marketing controller for Blue Dragon, said the company had ploughed “considerable investment” into the Japanese launch.


“By demystifying what is perceived as a challenging cuisine, Blue Dragon’s aim is to attract new consumers into the ambient Oriental food category whilst still maintaining authenticity,” Hughes said.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The company gave no indication of how much money was being spent on the launch and could not be reached for further comment as just-food went to press.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact