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Yakult Danone India unveils Yakult Light, expanding probiotic portfolio
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Friday, 09 February, 2018, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Shraddha Joshi, Mumbai
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Yakult Danone India Pvt Ltd, a 50:50 joint venture between Yakukt Honsha and Danone, launched its new variant, Yakult Light with reduced sugar and Vitamins D and E, in Mumbai. With this, the company expanded its probiotic portfolio in India.
The new variant was unveiled by Hindi film actress and fitness icon Shilpa Shetty Kundra. Yakult Danone India was represented by Minoru Shimada, its managing director, and Neerja Hajela, its general manager, science and regulatory affairs.
Yakult Light is a newer version of the Yakult containing a strain of the same probiotic, Lactobacillus casei Shirota ( LcS), which helps to improve digestion and build immunity. There are 6.5 billion bacteria in every bottle.
Shimada said, “We are frontrunners in the probiotic category globally, and in India, we launched Yakult in 2008. It was a very new concept in the Indian market then, and the biggest challenge for us was to create awareness by educating people and provide scientific proof.”
“Owing to changing lifestyles, more and more people are falling sick, and diseases such as heart attacks, diabetes, stress and cancer are on the rise. This is where Yakult comes in the picture,” he added.
“Thirty-five million Yakult bottles are consumed daily in 38 countries and regions across the globe. In India, we are present in over 40 cities in 12 states. To address the growing demand of health-conscious consumers, the product caters to a broad consumer base. Sine January 2018, we have increased our production capacity from 1.8 million to 2.7 million bottles per day at our Haryana plant,” Shimada said.
According to RnRMarketResearch, it is estimated that the probiotic market is valued at $45.64 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of seven per cent till 2022.
Hajela said, “Out of every 10 persons in India, seven are at a risk of lifestyle disorders. The intestine plays a very important role in keeping our immunity in check. Apart from its role in the digestion of food, the intestine contains 70 per cent of the immune cell and is the largest immune organ in the human body.”
She added, “According to a recent study, the intestine has 100 trillion bacteria which weighs about 2kg. These bacteria are essential for digestion, absorption of nutrients, production of Vitamin B and maintenance of a well-developed immune system.”
Hajela said, “With reduced sugar (i e sugar extracted from stevia leaves) and Vitamin D and E, the product caters to the daily needs of health-conscious individuals and is suitable for all age groups. The use of stevia is also approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).”
It will be available in a pack of five priced at Rs 80.
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