Yakult Deutschland GmbH

What Yakult Deutschland GmbH does

Yakult Deutschland GmbH is a wholly-owned German sales and distribution subsidiary of Yakult Europe BV, which in turn sits within the Japanese parent Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. The German entity is headquartered in Neuss, Nordrhein-Westfalen, operates with approximately 10 employees, and was founded in 1995. Its function is the marketing and distribution of Yakult's flagship probiotic fermented milk beverages in Germany, including Yakult Original, Yakult Light, and Yakult Plus — all produced at the centralized European production facility in Almere, Netherlands, which has supplied the European market since the first bottle was produced there on 28 March 1994. The product portfolio is built around the proprietary Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (formerly classified as Lactobacillus casei Shirota), isolated by Dr. Minoru Shirota in 1930 and now the most researched probiotic strain in the world with over 500 published scientific studies.

The core technology platform is biological rather than digital, relying on advanced fermentation processes, proprietary probiotic strain cultivation, and the YIF-SCAN (Yakult Intestinal Flora Scan) device used for sensitive intestinal flora research. R&D is conducted at the Yakult Central Institute in Tokyo (founded 1955) and the Yakult Honsha European Research Centre in Ghent, Belgium, with additional independent research funded through the Yakult Bio Science Foundation established in 1994. Distribution in Germany follows a dual-channel model: retail placement in supermarkets and convenience stores, alongside the global Yakult Ladies door-to-door delivery system that employs over 80,000 women worldwide and provides personalized customer contact, elderly welfare visits, and community safety monitoring as a value-added service.

Revenue is generated through one-time sales of consumer fermented milk beverages, with pricing not publicly disclosed and varying by country and retail channel. The primary customer base is health-conscious German consumers seeking daily probiotic supplementation for gut health maintenance, with secondary engagement of healthcare professionals (doctors, nutritionists, pharmacists) through the Yakult Science for Health knowledge platform, scientific publications, and institutional collaborations such as the partnership with the UK Sports Institute. Yakult Deutschland GmbH operates as a privately-held subsidiary within a much larger global group that employs over 111,000 people worldwide, sells more than 40 million Yakult products daily, and reaches 39+ million daily consumers across 40+ countries and regions.

Name

Yakult Deutschland GmbH

Legal name

Yakult Deutschland GmbH

Website

https://yakult.info

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Yakult Deutschland GmbH is the German sales subsidiary of Japanese probiotic beverage maker Yakult Honsha, marketing Yakult Original, Light, and Plus fermented milk drinks containing the proprietary L. casei Shirota strain to German consumers through retail and door-to-door delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Probiotic Dairy Beverages

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Drinkable Yogurt & Cultured Dairy Beverages (Lassi, Ayran, Probiotic Dairy) (AFAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drinkable Yogurt & Kefir Beverages (Probiotic Shots, Smoothie-Style) (AFAHAIAC), Drinkable Yogurt & Kefir Manufacturing (AFAHADAC)

Keywords

• Probiotic fermented milk
• Functional dairy beverages
• Gut health drinks
• Probiotic supplements
• Fermented milk products

Headquarters

HQ city

Almere

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Probiotic fermented milk product sales: Yakult generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of fermented milk beverages and yoghurts containing probiotic bacteria. Products include Yakult Original, Yakult Light, and Yakult Plus, sold across 40 countries and regions worldwide.
2. Pharmaceutical products: Yakult Honsha operates as a leading pharmaceutical company in Japan, producing medications based on applied scientific research.
3. Cosmetic products: Yakult produces cosmetic skin care ranges based on proprietary probiotic and gut health research.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Yakult Deutschland GmbH sells probiotic fermented milk beverages in Germany under the Yakult brand, including Yakult Original, Yakult Light, and Yakult Plus. These products are produced at Yakult Europe BV's factory in Almere, Netherlands, and contain the proprietary L. casei Shirota probiotic strain. Distribution occurs through German retail outlets and the Yakult Ladies door-to-door delivery network.

Product overview

Yakult is a Japanese probiotic food and beverage company offering a focused portfolio of fermented milk drinks and yoghurts built around probiotic bacteria strains. The core offering consists of the iconic Yakult fermented milk drink (containing L. casei Shirota), its lower-calorie variant Yakult Light, and the enhanced Yakult Plus — all produced at the Almere, Netherlands factory for the European market. In Japan, the portfolio is broader, encompassing additional fermented products with B. breve Yakult across foods, beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The company operates across 40+ countries globally with offices in 6 European countries, distributing to 13 EU countries from its central European hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Yakult Original Iconic fermented milk drink containing the proprietary probiotic strain L. casei Shirota (Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota), developed in 1935 by Dr. Minoru Shirota and first produced in Europe in 1994. Promotes gut health through beneficial bacteria for daily consumers.
• Yakult Light A lower-calorie variant of the classic Yakult fermented milk drink, produced at the Almere factory alongside the standard Yakult Original. Contains the same L. casei Shirota probiotic strain for daily gut health support.
• Yakult Plus An extended variant of the Yakult fermented milk drink, produced at the Almere factory alongside the standard Yakult and Yakult Light products. Contains the L. casei Shirota probiotic strain for daily gut health support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 40 million Yakult products consumed daily worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TreedomcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2022Three-year partnership announced in February 2022 to plant 10,000 trees through Treedom's global tree-planting platform. Treedom plants trees and forests worldwide with the aim of making the planet greener and fairer. Yakult's partnership supports biodiversity, reforestation, and social economic opportunities for local communities. Every tree is geolocated and photographed with updates posted on an online Tree Diary.
• Yakult Bio Science FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Established in 1994, the foundation supports and funds independent research projects and research teams in hospitals, universities, and institutes throughout the world. Represents Yakult's commitment to advancing independent gut health science.
• UK Sports InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYakult Science for Health collaborates with the UK Sports Institute, making latest science in gut microbiota and probiotics research accessible to support healthcare professionals in their everyday practice caring for patients.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Yeo Valley: UK-based organic yogurt and probiotic dairy drink producer with overlapping positioning in natural, health-forward dairy products. Comparable in brand-led, premium positioning targeting health-conscious consumers in Europe.
• Lifeway Foods: US producer of kefir and probiotic cultured dairy drinks. Most direct product-overlap peer given Lifeway's portfolio of drinkable, live-culture fermented dairy beverages in the same category as Yakult.
• FAGE International: Greek strained yogurt and probiotic dairy producer with strong European grocery presence. Comparable in premium dairy positioning, single-category focus, and growing distribution in German supermarkets.
• Chobani: US-based yogurt and probiotic dairy drink company expanding in Europe. Comparable in functional dairy positioning and direct-to-consumer brand building around gut-health and protein claims.

Emerging players

• BioGaia: Swedish probiotic strain and consumer health company. Comparable through its probiotic R&D and Lactobacillus strain portfolio, though it operates more in supplements and infant formula than drinkable dairy.
• Remedy Drinks: Australia-based kombucha and functional fermented beverage brand expanding in Europe. Comparable as a gut-health-forward drinkable fermented beverage targeting health-conscious consumers in the same premium shelf-space.

Broad incumbents

• Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller: Major German dairy company with broad portfolio of yogurts, dairy drinks, and Müller Milch branded products. Its domestic scale and grocery relationships in Germany make it a primary incumbent competitor for Yakult Deutschland on shelf.
• Nestlé: Global food and beverage major with significant dairy and functional nutrition portfolio including probiotic products. Comparable through its dairy drink offerings and deep German retail relationships, though probiotics are a fraction of its broader business.
• Arla Foods: European dairy cooperative with broad yogurt and functional dairy portfolio across Germany. Comparable in grocery distribution muscle, though Arla's probiotic offerings are a sub-line of a much wider dairy business.
• Danone: Global dairy and plant-based food major that markets Activia and Actimel probiotic dairy drinks directly competing with Yakult in German retail. Significantly larger portfolio and broader functional food footprint make it the dominant benchmark for Yakult Deutschland.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yakult-deutschland-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yakult Deutschland GmbH