Our Story

Manufacturing Process

How do we make Yakult?

Our mission is to help create a happier world through bacteria – one little bottle at a time. Back in 1935, Yakult bottles were made of glass, filled by hand, and topped with a cork stopper.

Our little bottle

The iconic Yakult bottle hasn’t changed much since it was first developed in 1968 by award-winning designer, Isamu Kenmochi. It was designed to be instantly recognisable, easy to drink from and totally original. Our famous shape was inspired by the traditional Japanese Kokeshi doll – a lucky charm.

Why the sugar?

So, what goes into making a perfect bottle of Yakult?

There are a few key elements: Yakult’s unique bacteria, high quality ingredients and a complex fermentation process conducted under strict quality controls and procedures. Did you know that it takes nearly a week of fermentation to make a bottle of Yakult? This is in part what makes Yakult truly unique.

One week filled with care, warmth (literally) and fermentation.

Counting billions of bacteria

Yep – we really do count them! Quality control checks in our factory ensure that a minimum of 20 billion of our unique strain, L. casei Shirota, are in every little bottle. These checks are carried out on every single batch. Thank you, bacteria counters!

See how Yakult is made