Probiotic penetration: Yakult takes a shot at Southern India
Yakult was launched in India in 2007 and is presently available in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Jaipur, Chandigarh and Punjab.
Kiyoshi Oike, MD, Yakult Danone India said: “Awareness about probiotic foods is fast catching up in India and Yakult has seen wide consumer acceptance in the metros.
"We have established a strong presence in north India, and are now focusing on the southern markets with the aim to educate and propagate the health benefits of probiotics among consumers. Innovation and information dissemination on probiotics has been fundamental to our growth across geographies making us global leaders.”
Jochen Ebert, MD, Danone Food and Beverages said: “The Yakult Danone alliance in India is a result of the teamwork of two global giants in the probiotic industry. Faced with the formidable task of introducing a new market for probiotics in India, the JV company has established a strong probiotic category in a remarkably short span of time.”
In India, Yakult is priced at Rs.50 (76 euro cents) for a pack of five bottles, and is manufactured at a facility at Sonepat, Haryana, near Delhi.
Yakult was first launched in Japan in 1935, and the company claims it is the bestselling probiotic drink globally with more than 30m consumers across 32 countries.
Yakult Danone India is a 50:50 joint venture between Danone and Yakult, formed in 2005 to manufacture and launch probiotic products onto the Indian market.
