Yoghurt and Sour Milk Products in Japan

PROSPECTS

Probiotic yoghurt loses distinct advantage

Yoghurt and sour milk products (entirely comprised of yoghurt in Japan) saw rising unit prices drive a return to growth in 2019, with the category having previously witnessed two consecutive years of stagnation. Yoghurt had seen its growth stalled primarily by the waning of demand for probiotic yoghurt, which has seen a considerable increase in competition from probiotic products in other areas.

Looking for new ways to attract health-conscious consumers

As probiotic yoghurt struggles to maintain a distinctive competitive positioning in the wake of the introduction of a raft of other packaged food products containing probiotics, yoghurt manufacturers are looking for other ways to attract health-conscious consumers. Companies are putting significant effort into addressing niche consumer needs, with claims no longer targeting broad health concerns, such as digestive health, and, instead, sharpening their focus on more specific areas of demand, such as body-fat reduction or high protein content.

Limited but growing presence for plant-based yoghurt

Plant-based yoghurt, which has been becoming more popular globally, saw its presence expand in Japan towards the end of the review period. In contrast to other markets, the plant-based yoghurt available in Japan is heavily biased towards soy-based products, with products based on ingredients such as oats and almonds registering an extremely limited presence.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Meiji maintains focus on health and innovation

Meiji Co Ltd extended its lead in yoghurt in 2019. The company has been the leader in the research and development of probiotics in yoghurt in Japan with over 5,000 active bacteria samples in its research repository.

Manufacturers sharpen the focus of health claims

As well as Meiji, other major yoghurt manufacturers are targeting health-conscious consumers with more specific claims about the health benefits of products. In 2018, Megmilk Snow Brand relaunched Megumi SP Kabu Yoghurt as the first Food for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) yoghurt in the market.

Soy-based yoghurt manufacturers expanding production

Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage, a major producer of non-dairy yoghurt in Japan, has been offering soy-based yoghurt since 1997 and added a new brand in 2019. Moreover, the final year of the review period also saw the company invest JPY5.

Files are delivered directly into your account within a few minutes of purchase.