Plant Base Innovation ;Yakult Fully Enters Plant-Based Market with New Brand “The Power of Soy Milk” .

Yakult Honsha is making a significant entry into the plant-based market with its new brand “The Power of Soy Milk.”Utilizing the plant-based yogurt business and production facilities acquired from Pokka Sapporo Food & Beverage, the company will establish a new production subsidiary called Yakult Plants Factory in October. Starting from October 7, they will launch individual-serving types of the Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU) “The Power of Soy Milk Plain” and “The Power of Soy Milk Blueberry” (110g, 130 yen excluding tax), as well as a large-capacity type “The Power of Soy Milk Plain Unsweetened” (400g, 265 yen).

The “Power of Soy Milk” series consists of fermented soy milk foods made by fermenting soy milk with lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. By removing the skins that cause the beany odor and boiling the soybeans at high temperatures, they have suppressed the green and beany smells. Eliminating bitterness results in a flavor and aroma suitable for desserts. Using smooth and easy-to-drink soy milk, the products are characterized by “no peculiar taste and low acidity” and “gentle sweetness and mellowness.” Being dairy-free, they can be consumed by people with milk allergies.

The large-capacity type is designed to enhance the absorption of soy isoflavones by fermenting soy milk with lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. The individual-serving types are Foods for Specified Health Uses (FOSHU), with the authorized claim:

*”This product is made from soy milk and is designed to make it easier to consume soy protein, which has the function of lowering serum cholesterol. Therefore, it helps improve the diet of those concerned about cholesterol.”

From October 2024 to March 2025, the sales targets are 49,000 units per day for the two individual-serving products and 15,000 units per day for the large-capacity type.

Established on October 1, Yakult Plants Factory*(located in Isesaki City, Gunma Prefecture) will handle all processes in-house—from extracting soy milk from soybeans to fermenting the soy milk and filling the fermented soy milk products. The production capacity is 20,000 units per day for “The Power of Soy Milk Plain Unsweetened” and a total of 100,000 units per day for “The Power of Soy Milk Plain” and “The Power of Soy Milk Blueberry.”

※ The basic manufacturing process of this product is the same as that of “fermented milk,” except that the base milk used is soy milk. However, since dairy ingredients are not fermented, under the Food Sanitation Act, it is not classified as “fermented milk” but falls under “fresh confectionery.”

Source: Yakult Pressrelease September 6th 2024