Activities

Today Yakult products are sold in 40 countries and regions worldwide, with more than 40 million Yakult dairy products being enjoyed every day.

Who are we?

A global company with its roots in Japan.  Yakult Honsha was founded in 1955 and is now a global company best known for one of its products – Yakult. Yakult Europe first made Yakult in 1994 and continues to be the main production location for Yakult products in Europe

Minoru Shirota, a pioneer in microbiology 

Minoru Shirota M.D., Ph.D. was driven to contribute to the health and happiness of others, and dedicated his life to furthering the study of microbiology and his creation – Yakult. 

Science lies at the heart of Yakult  

Dr. Shirota was a pioneer in the field of microbiology and in 1955 he founded the Yakult Central Institute which continues to undertake cutting-edge research. Together with Yakult Honsha European Research, work is on-going to enhance our knowledge of gut health and the idea that a healthy gut leads to a long life.  

Yakult over the decades 

Created in 1935, Yakult has been making a positive difference to people’s lives for many years. Please enjoy a brief timeline of our history.