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Morinaga Milk has announced that it will suspend production at its plant in Akita, Japan, in March 2026 as part of a restructuring initiative.

The Japanese dairy group said it has been making progress in optimising its production systems through ongoing efforts to strengthen its business base through streamlining its operations.

In accordance with its medium-term business plan, the company said it will suspend production at the Akita plant – which operates under its Tohoku Morinaga Milk Industry business – in March, with its operations to be transferred to another site.

The nearly 32,000-square-metre Akita plant, which produces a range of Morinaga milk products, has been in operation since March 1951 and employed a workforce of 54 employees as of 30 September 2025.

FoodBev has approached Morinaga for further information on the closure and its impact on the site’s employees.