Yoghurt and Sour Milk Products in Japan

PROSPECTS

Yoghurt is losing its dominant position for probiotics in Japan

Japanese consumers are well aware of the health benefits of probiotics thanks to the traditional Japanese diet containing many fermented products such as Miso paste and pickled vegetables. During the review period, manufacturers of yoghurt put significant effort into scientific research on probiotics, which identified unique health benefits, including improving the immune system and oral health, and reducing body fat; not just traditional digestive health.

Drinking yoghurt continues to lead yoghurt in Japan

Drinking yoghurt is expected to continue accounting for more than half of yoghurt sales in Japan in retail value term over the forecast period. Indeed, sales of sour milk products remain negligible in Japan, due to their absence from Japanese traditional cuisine.

Yoghurt products with iron and folic acid see faster growth in non-probiotic yoghurt

Although the rapid retail sales increase seen in yoghurt in Japan is largely due to consumers’ interest in the health benefits of probiotics, functional/fortified regular yoghurt products also experienced rapid sales growth, especially products with iron and folic acid, which were well received among young females. The demographic trend for people getting married later encourages more females to actively consume folic acid which is one of the key nutritional aids for healthy pregnancy.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Meiji Co Ltd remains leading yoghurt producer in Japan

The company leads the research and development of probiotics in yoghurt in Japan with over 5,000 active bacteria samples in its research repository. The company greatly contributed to educate Japanese consumers about the health benefits of probiotics, by actively promoting the power of probiotics by communicating with consumers through various promotional activities.

Yakult Honsha Co Ltd ranks second

Yakult Honsha Co Ltd continues to rank second in yoghurt in Japan in 2018, due to its strong presence in drinking yoghurt. In 2018, the company enjoyed high performance of a brand launched in 2017, Synbiotics Yakult W.

Icelandic yoghurt due to arrive in Japan in spring 2019

In May 2018, Nippon Luna Co Ltd, the eighth largest player in yoghurt in Japan, announced a partnership with MS Iceland Dairies from Iceland. Nippon Luna is aiming to produce and sell Japan’s first Icelandic yoghurt in spring 2019.

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