Company Background
Yakult is a probiotic dairy product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei Shirota. It was created by Japanese scientist Minoru Shirota, who graduated from the Medical School of Kyoto University in 1930. In 1935, he started manufacturing and selling Yakult.
After its introduction in Japan and Taiwan, Yakult was first sold in Brazil in 1966 due to the large number of Japanese immigrants in the country, before it was marketed elsewhere. Today, Yakult is sold in 31 countries, although its bacteria cultures are provided from a mother strain from Japan regardless of production location.
Yakult is marketed in different sizes. In Australia and New Zealand, Europe, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam Yakult comes in 65mL bottles. In the Americas (including Mexico, one of Yakult's largest selling markets), Japan, Philippines, Thailand and South Korea, 80 ml bottles are available. It is also available in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China where Yakult comes in 100 ml bottles.
Packaging
Glass Yakult bottles used before 1968.
Thai Yakult
Yakult 65 ml in Vietnam
Q&A
1: Yakult produces only one kind of drink with one flavor in Hong Kong. However, referring to Yakult’s Japanese website, it also produces other kinds of healthy drinks. Regarding to the product diversity, why do Yakult not try to expand its product line with more flavor or different drinks in Hong Kong?
A: Nowadays, there are two drinks introduced in the Hong Kong. One is the simple Yakult live lactobacillus drink, another one is Fanshuanglicha (蕃爽麗茶) which is good for lower the blood sugar level. The biggest challenge to launch more products to Hong Kong market is that there is lacking space of the production plant. Furthermore, each procedure follows the standard operating procedure of the Japan headquarter production manual. Hong Kong production plant is not suitable to produce other products that fulfill the requirements of the Japanese standards.
2: Because of the relaxation travel permit rules for mainland people, it is not uncommon to see that they buy lots of Yakult drinks back to mainland. How do you forecast the daily demand of your products?
3: Actually the demand can’t be predicted. The daily production of the plant is targeting to fulfill the Hong Kong citizens’ demand but not for the mainland visitors. Because there are production plants located at Shenzhen and Canton. They can buy Yakult drinks in mainland too.
4: Besides the direct competition of other Probiotic Drinks, there are lots of other healthy drinks in the market. Do you think they are also your competitors?
A: That’s true. There are many healthy drinks existing in the market. However, the only truly helpful and successful Probiotic Drinks is provided by Yakult. The probiotics are slightly different among the competitors and Yakult. Yakult’s probiotic is discovered by Shirota Minoru. The probiotic is named as Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota which is registered for the patent. Others cannot use it.
5: Since the size and container shape of Yakult’s beverages is obviously different from other companies, what are the benefits for Yakult to apply this design?
A: The design is convenient for the customers that one bottle of the drink is enough for the body health. Also, the special shape of the container can impress the customers and easily recall their memory when they tell about this.
6: Hong Kong people are getting more concern about the sugar contains in Yakult milk and its calories. Although it has launched a low-sugar version of Yakult milk, will Yakult keep on implement a healthier one, like a further less-sugar with lower calories to cater the healthy lifestyle of Hong Kong people?
A: Actually the Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota need sugar to stay alive. If there is too less sugar, the probiotic will be inactive and may die in some situations. To prevent this, Yakult need to keep the sugar at a standard level. Maybe the researcher of Yakult is trying to discover a new way to keep the probiotic alive with a lower sugar level in the future.
Yakult is a probiotic dairy product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei Shirota. It was created by Japanese scientist Minoru Shirota, who graduated from the Medical School of Kyoto University in 1930. In 1935, he started manufacturing and selling Yakult.
After its introduction in Japan and Taiwan, Yakult was first sold in Brazil in 1966 due to the large number of Japanese immigrants in the country, before it was marketed elsewhere. Today, Yakult is sold in 31 countries, although its bacteria cultures are provided from a mother strain from Japan regardless of production location.
Yakult is marketed in different sizes. In Australia and New Zealand, Europe, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam Yakult comes in 65mL bottles. In the Americas (including Mexico, one of Yakult's largest selling markets), Japan, Philippines, Thailand and South Korea, 80 ml bottles are available. It is also available in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China where Yakult comes in 100 ml bottles.
Packaging
Glass Yakult bottles used before 1968. Thai Yakult Yakult 65 ml in VietnamQ&A
1: Yakult produces only one kind of drink with one flavor in Hong Kong. However, referring to Yakult’s Japanese website, it also produces other kinds of healthy drinks. Regarding to the product diversity, why do Yakult not try to expand its product line with more flavor or different drinks in Hong Kong?
A: Nowadays, there are two drinks introduced in the Hong Kong. One is the simple Yakult live lactobacillus drink, another one is Fanshuanglicha (蕃爽麗茶) which is good for lower the blood sugar level. The biggest challenge to launch more products to Hong Kong market is that there is lacking space of the production plant. Furthermore, each procedure follows the standard operating procedure of the Japan headquarter production manual. Hong Kong production plant is not suitable to produce other products that fulfill the requirements of the Japanese standards.
2: Because of the relaxation travel permit rules for mainland people, it is not uncommon to see that they buy lots of Yakult drinks back to mainland. How do you forecast the daily demand of your products?
3: Actually the demand can’t be predicted. The daily production of the plant is targeting to fulfill the Hong Kong citizens’ demand but not for the mainland visitors. Because there are production plants located at Shenzhen and Canton. They can buy Yakult drinks in mainland too.
4: Besides the direct competition of other Probiotic Drinks, there are lots of other healthy drinks in the market. Do you think they are also your competitors?
A: That’s true. There are many healthy drinks existing in the market. However, the only truly helpful and successful Probiotic Drinks is provided by Yakult. The probiotics are slightly different among the competitors and Yakult. Yakult’s probiotic is discovered by Shirota Minoru. The probiotic is named as Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota which is registered for the patent. Others cannot use it.
5: Since the size and container shape of Yakult’s beverages is obviously different from other companies, what are the benefits for Yakult to apply this design?
A: The design is convenient for the customers that one bottle of the drink is enough for the body health. Also, the special shape of the container can impress the customers and easily recall their memory when they tell about this.
6: Hong Kong people are getting more concern about the sugar contains in Yakult milk and its calories. Although it has launched a low-sugar version of Yakult milk, will Yakult keep on implement a healthier one, like a further less-sugar with lower calories to cater the healthy lifestyle of Hong Kong people?
A: Actually the Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota need sugar to stay alive. If there is too less sugar, the probiotic will be inactive and may die in some situations. To prevent this, Yakult need to keep the sugar at a standard level. Maybe the researcher of Yakult is trying to discover a new way to keep the probiotic alive with a lower sugar level in the future.
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