Yakult UK & Ireland’s new managing director, Shinji Yamaguchi, took the helm earlier this year, following Hiroaki Yoshimura’s move to Yakult Europe.
Yamaguchi joins the probiotic drinks firm’s British and Irish business at a pivotal time for the gut health category.
Probiotics and other functional drinks that support gut health have firmly entered the mainstream in recent years. As such, the historic Japanese brand has a significant opportunity to grow its UK household penetration.
As it stands, long time rival Actimel is the current probiotics market leader in the UK. However, Yakult continues to perform strongly in the sector and remains a prominent presence across most dairy aisles nationwide.
Yamaguchi is well positioned to take the business on its next growth journey, bringing over three decades of experience within Yakult to his new role; most recently working within Yakult’s International Business Division in Japan, where he led market development plans and helped to strengthen the firm’s capabilities across the business globally.
Gut health goes mainstream
Speaking exclusively to Food Manufacture, Shinji Yamaguchi recognises that his appointment comes at an exciting and dynamic time for the gut health sector; with functional drinks advancing rapidly in the UK market in recent years.
With an increasingly health-conscious consumer base not just in the UK but globally, grocery shoppers are placing growing emphasis on the important role gut health can play as part of a balanced diet.
“The biggest opportunity is that gut health is no longer a niche conversation. Retailers, consumers and the wider media are engaging with it much more broadly through information, products and everyday lifestyle choices,” Yamaguchi said.
“This broader awareness means more people are recognising the role the gut plays in overall wellbeing. In Japan and other markets, the importance of beneficial bacteria and daily gut health habits has been recognised for many years, and it’s encouraging to see knowledge growing so quickly in the UK and Ireland.”
Gut health has now firmly moved into the mainstream, and Yakult’s science-led approach positions it as a key and highly visible category leader.
Invented in 1935 by Minoru Shirota, Yamaguchi says the brand’s 90 years of production and research make it a trusted global authority on gut health.
“Scientific substantiation and credibility are central to building trust, particularly in the food and health space,” he added.
“As interest in gut health grows, it becomes even more important that brands communicate responsibly and avoid adding to confusion. Yakult supports retailers and consumers by ensuring its communications are clear, evidence-based and consistent.
“We focus on straightforward, well-substantiated statements to showcase ourselves confidently that Yakult is scientifically proven to reach the gut alive and increases the lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the gut.”
Expanding horizons
Looking firmly towards the future, Yakult is seeking to capitalise on the emerging gut health boom by expanding the ways in which it engages with consumers.
Naturally, as Yamaguchi points out, retail remains the cornerstone of how the Tokyo-based firm reaches its wider customer base. However, as the functional drinks market – and food and drink commerce more broadly – becomes increasingly diversified, the company has begun to explore a range of additional channels.
“Retail will remain our core channel and a fundamental part of the business, but there’s also an opportunity to thoughtfully expand into additional retail formats where Yakult has not traditionally been as present,” Yamaguchi said.
“As consumer habits evolve, we need to consider where and how people are making choices around everyday health.”
As such, Yakult is also placing greater emphasis on education, redefining its relationship with consumers as it looks to support understanding and confidence across the wider gut health category, and help both retailers and shoppers navigate an increasingly crowded market.
He continued: “We don’t see our role as simply competing on shelf. We see it as helping to build understanding and confidence in the category as a whole. Retailers are looking for brands that can bring credibility, not just novelty.
“Yakult’s heritage and scientific focus allow us to bring a consistent and science-led approach to a category that is evolving quickly, where a growing range of products and messages can make it harder to navigate, while continuing to provide a product that is simple, familiar and easy to incorporate into everyday routines.”
Taking it to the next level
It is this future-focused strategy that has led Yakult to open a new R&D centre in Wageningen, the Netherlands, designed to support microbiome research alongside product development.
The business is also focusing current and future investment on strengthening its digital capabilities, as well as developing more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) tools and more accurate consumer insights to support long-term growth.
“Innovation is very important for the future of Yakult, and one of the most significant developments is the opening of Yakult’s European R&D centre in the Netherlands,” Yamaguchi added.
“This will play an important role not only in supporting future innovation and product development for the European business but also in broadening the category value through continuous research into the microbiome.
“Beyond product innovation, we also need to keep investing in people and capability. The consumer and retail landscape is changing quickly, so skills in areas such as digital engagement, AI and further consumer insight are becoming increasingly important.”
However, as Yamaguchi noted, long-term growth cannot rely on financial investment alone, but also depends on building mutually beneficial partnerships across retail and healthcare, alongside educational initiatives and sustainable packaging improvements.
“From a partnership perspective, success would mean deepening relationships with retailers, healthcare professionals, experts and other stakeholders, so that we can continue to communicate gut health responsibly and effectively,” he said.
“I want Yakult to be recognised not only as a trusted brand, but as a valued partner that supports category growth, consumer education and long-term wellbeing.”
Yakult is aiming to strengthen UK growth by doubling down on trust and reliability as key differentiators, as it seeks a deeper relationship with an increasingly health-conscious and informed British public.
Dairy drinks – a category that includes Yakult and most other gut health products – recorded 9.3% volume growth in the UK in FY 2025, despite challenging economic conditions.
It is therefore unsurprising that Yakult has placed its UK and Ireland business in the hands of an experienced international operator like Yamaguchi, who will now need to draw on his expertise to take the brand to new heights in a receptive British market.
