Introduced in India in 2007, it is presently available in Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Chandigarh, Punjab and Jaipur.
Briefing reporters, Managing Director Kiyoshi Oike said “The market for probiotic products in India is Rs 100 crore and Yakult has seen wide consumer acceptance in metros. We will soon enter other markets in South India.” The daily consumption of the drink helps to boost immunity and aids in digestion, he claimed.
Yakult is priced at Rs 50 for a pack of five 65 ml bottles. It is manufactured at Yakult’s facility in Sonepat, Haryana. The company has invested Rs 148 crore to fund the plant. It sells 35,000 bottles a day in the country and aims to target more metros, Tier II cities and rural areas next year. It plans to launch a probiotic drink with half the number of calories after two years.
It has two-pronged marketing strategy. Apart from retail presence in both organised and unorganised stores, it has home delivery system. More than 80,000 women are associated with this system globally, of which 150 are in India. Besides door-to-door distribution they spread awareness of the product. The company plans to it in Bangalore next year.
The size of global probiotic market is estimated at $14 billion and expected to grow to $17 million by 2013, with a CAGR of 4.2 per cent. The other players in this segment are Mother Dairy, Nestle and Amul.
