Achieving new levels of food security with quality sesame available to all manufacturers in Japan
Kibbutz Givat Brenner, Israel – Equinom Ltd., the seed-breeding pioneer, is gaining wide attention with high-quality, robust-yield sesame seed varieties that are now accessible to all food and oil producers in Japan. Equinom has revolutionized the sesame market, introducing naturally bred non-GMO (non-genetically modified organism) sesame seeds that have earned a reputation for superior traits that cater to edible-oil refining and food manufacturing.
Superior sesame quality and uniformity
“Each sesame variety delivers uniformity in function and performance, so that manufacturers can standardize their applications and guarantee product consistency,” says Gil Shalev, PhD, Equinom’s founder and Chief Executive Officer.
Japanese food producers can be confident in Equinom’s quality seed pedigree and branded traceability. They can easily trace and match their varieties back to their original Equinom seeds by conducting simple analyses (DNA PCR) using genetic markers that Equinom provides. “Equinom is the first seed company to offer this method to confirm authenticity, which we believe is essential to placing and keeping quality on the shelf,” comments Shalev.
Equinom sesame varieties have been designed to be low in free fatty acids (FFAs), making them less prone to turning rancid from oxidation, which extends product shelf life.
Securing this Japanese staple for the long term
Equinom sesame enables manufacturers to secure reliable futures contracts from suppliers, with adequate volumes, standardized specifications and seed uniformity, which is expected of modern agriculture. “Dependable supply minimizes price fluctuations and helps manufacturers escape the cycle of spot contracts. This newfound food security introduces new market stability and puts control in the hands of food and oil producers so they can plan and budget into the future, and remain agile in product delivery and development,” explains Shalev.
Supporting Japan as a key growth market for sesame
Equinom is committed to investing in and delivering healthier, superior-quality sesame to the Japanese market, expanding supply throughout the country. For Equinom, Japan is a strategic market, which is why Equinom is making sesame open and available to all manufacturers through existing supply chains. As such, Equinom works with numerous prominent Japanese trading companies and has a local Japanese employee representative for direct access.
“Sesame is in great demand in Japan, and we believe that making our quality sesame widely available, we can support growing consumption and production needs,” Shalev notes.
Advantages of mechanical harvesting
While 99% of the sesame grown worldwide is harvested tediously by hand to prevent shattering, Equinom’s sesame can be mechanically harvested, which offers a number of key benefits beyond cultivation efficiencies and yield preservation. Automation prevents human touch, reducing the risk of contamination amid the coronavirus pandemic. And, Equinom sesame can be harvested when dry, preventing spoilage typical of seeds that must be dried after picking and before packaging.
Efficient cultivation has made Equinom sesame a profitable crop, drawing more Asian, African and even Western farms to enter the market.
Innovative technology-driven breeding
Equinom’s proprietary breeding technology empowers the entire global supply chain to meet the true needs of food companies and consumers – surmounting previous limitations in traits and breeding time.
Equinom develops its seeds that feature powerful traits by integrating cutting-edge computer models with data-driven breeding. Breeding is twice as fast and 10 times more accurate than traditional methods. Equinom’s sesame gene pool integrates and optimizes yield and quality traits – all without gene editing or manipulation. Seed characteristics are patent-protected by gene fingerprint.
An Israeli agro-tech success story
Equinom is headquartered in Israel, the country that leads agriculture innovation worldwide. The company’s sesame-breeding program was launched in 2014, and has already reached 80,000 growing acres. Equinom seeds are currently farmed in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa – in over 10 countries – and the company plans to expand cultivation worldwide.
In addition to sesame, Equinom’s product portfolio features a range of legumes with powerful traits. Equinom is also planning to introduce soybeans with high protein and superior organoleptic properties to the Japanese tofu industry.
A practice in excellence
Manufacturers around the world are recognizing the added value of Equinom seeds. For example, PepsiCo subsidiary, Sabra, has chosen Equinom sesame for its quality, taste and performance – as the core ingredient in its global line of Middle Eastern hummus.
An abundant future
Japanese cuisine relies heavily on sesame. “Equinom is continuing to develop sesame varieties with ideal characteristics and enhanced nutritional value, empowering companies to optimize the foods and edible oils they produce,” concludes Shalev. “Making sesame seeds more widely available throughout Japan will satisfy consumers while benefiting the entire supply chain – from seed to table.”
About Equinom
Equinom breeds seeds that nurture life, and has taken the initiative to dramatically boost food value and strengthen food security by making the most of nature’s wonders. The company has developed and patented a non-GMO, computer-based breeding technology and methodology that leverage its extensive genomic seed database. Founded in 2012, the Israeli-headquartered company operates in 10 prominent countries worldwide, including in the U.S., the location of its primary subsidiary. Equinom is positioned to be a major player in the world’s sesame and legume markets. Prestigious global investors include BASF, Roquette Freres and Fortissimo Capital. Equinom is committed to doing good in the world for generations to come.
For further information, please contact:
Company Contact
Equinom
Mr. Itay Dana/shan lu
VP of Marketing
Tel: +972-8-658-0585
Email: marketing@equi-nom.com
www.equi-nom.com
