Yakult eyes growth in Europe

Japan-based Yakult expects German sales of its eponymous probiotic drink to increase by some 60% this year. In the UK, meanwhile, where the product saw growth of 40% last year, Yakult predicts another rise of at least 20% during the course of 1999.
In Germany, where the product was only introduced in 1996, sales of the 65ml Yakult containers reached 80,000 units last year. They will, says the company, reach 130,000 by the end of 1999.
The Japanese drink was market leader in the region of Westphalia only six months after being introduced there in a trial run. Nationwide distribution in Germany was completed in the middle of last year.
Worldwide, Yakult claims around 23 million customers daily for its drink, while sales in Europe now stand at 434,000 portions per day.
European production is centred in Almere, Netherlands. The factory there has a daily capacity of 3.6 million bottles but there are plans to more than double that output.