Yakult facts for kids
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A single serving of Yakult
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| Type | Drink |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Yakult Honsha |
| Distributor | Yakult Honsha |
| Country of origin |  Japan |
| Introduced | 1935 |
| Colour | Light peach |
| Ingredients | Ingredients |
Yakult (ヤクルト, Yakuruto) is a Japanese sweetened probiotic milk beverage fermented with the bacteria strain Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota. It is sold by Yakult Honsha, based in Tokyo. It is distributed through convenience stores and supermarkets in single-serving containers of (depending on the manufacturer) 65 mL (2.3 imp fl oz; 2.2 US fl oz) or 100 mL (3.5 imp fl oz; 3.4 US fl oz), often in single-row packs of five or ten.
Ingredients
Yakult ingredients are water, skimmed milk, glucose-fructose syrup, sucrose, and live Lactobacillus casei Shirota bacteria. The strain was originally classified as being Lactobacillus casei but in 2008 it was reclassified as belonging to L. paracasei.
Yakult is prepared by adding glucose to skimmed milk and heating the mixture at 90 to 95°C for about 30 minutes. After letting it cool down to 45°C, the mixture is inoculated with the lactobacillus and incubated for 6 to 7 days at 37 to 38°C. After fermentation, water, sugar, gums and lactic acid are added.
Marketing history
Yakult was invented in 1935 in Japan by Minoru Shirota, who helped to found Yakult Honsha in order to commercialize it. Although Yakult is sold in Japan in supermarkets and convenience stores it is also sold door-to-door in Asia and in Latin America by women traditionally known as Yakult Ladies.
History
- In 1930, Scientist Minoru Shirota strengthened and cultured the Lactobacillus casei shirota strain
- In 1935, Yakult started being made in Japan.
- In 1955, Yakult Honsha was founded.
- In 1963, Yakult began a home delivery service, using 'Yakult lady' employees.
- In 1964, Yakult began selling in other countries, beginning with Taiwan.
- In 1968, Yakult opens its first factory outside Japan in the city of São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
- In 1969, the Hong Kong Yakult Co Ltd was founded.
- In 1969, Korea Yakult was founded in South Korea.
- In 1994, Yakult started being sold in Australia, Great Britain, and the United States.
Relationship with Danone
In February 2018, it was reported that Danone planned to sell US$1.9 billion of its Yakult investment, reducing its stake from 21% to 7%. The plan was followed by a decline in Yakult's share value. Danone had first bought shares in Yakult in April 2000. The sale was completed in March 2018.
In mass media
In September 2018, it was reported that the appearance of unlabelled Yakult bottles in the 2018 film To All the Boys I've Loved Before led to a rise in the drink's sales that coincided with a 2.8% increase in share price following the film's release on 17 August.
See also
In Spanish: Yakult para niños
