The fermented Lactobacillus gut-health drink was built on the belief that healthy aging starts in the gut microbiome, and now those trends are now gaining momentum across Europe.
The history of Yakult
Growing up in Nagano Prefecture in the early 1900’s amid poor sanitation, limited medical care, and widespread infectious disease, founder Dr. Minoru Shirota resolved to improve public health, a mission he pursued through medical school by specializing in microbiology, Kai Wasson from Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd, told NutraIngredients.
Recognizing the potential of lactic acid bacteria, he tackled the critical problem of their inability to survive stomach acid and bile and, through persistent research, developed a fortified strain capable of reaching the intestine alive and helping the body resist harmful pathogens.
Inspired by the work of Élie Metchnikoff on phagocytosis and beneficial microorganisms, Dr. Shirota created a resilient strain, later known as Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LCS), in 1930.
He then confronted a social challenge: persuading people—long before probiotics were understood—to consume beneficial bacteria. To do so, he created a flavorful beverage as a delivery system, naming it Yakult after the Esperanto word for “yogurt.”
He released the product in 1935, founding Yakult on three enduring principles: practice preventive medicine; recognize that intestinal health supports longevity; and ensure that good health remains affordable and accessible to everyone.
The earliest products came in large glass bottles containing a concentrated formula that customers diluted at home, and because regional sales companies operated independently at the time, bottle size, shape, and concentration varied by area. In 1955, the company standardized the formula and introduced a single-serving glass bottle, creating greater consistency and convenience. It further improved efficiency and hygiene in 1968 by transitioning to lightweight, single-use plastic bottles that were cheaper to produce and more sanitary.
Yakult is now available in 39 countries, selling approximately 28.5 million bottles per day outside Japan and nearly 40 million bottles daily worldwide, Wasson noted.
Wasson explained Yakult’s global expansion has progressed in stages: first targeting regions with limited sanitation, then entering developed dairy markets, followed by adapting products to cultural and religious needs worldwide.
The company entered Europe in 1994 by establishing its base in the Netherlands, a country offering high-quality water and strong dairy infrastructure, a central location for efficient European distribution, and a long-standing historical relationship with Japan.
How Japan’s culture and diet promote healthy aging and longevity
Much about Japan’s culture and culinary heritage supports healthy aging and longevity, Ingrid Houtkooper, Japanologist, told NI.
“Because of Japan’s rapidly aging population, the country is shifting its focus from care to preventive care, and the goal is to extend the number of years people can live independently,” she said.
“Municipalities run programs such as exercise classes, nutrition guidance, and social gatherings to help people stay connected to their local communities, and culturally, old age is still highly valued in Japan, and there is a strong desire to care for the elderly.”
She explained that people in Japan generally understand what is in their food and how it affects their health, creating a closer relationship between diet, nutrition, and well-being than is typical in Europe.
“Products that support gut health have existed here for nearly 90 years, and the idea that bacteria can be beneficial rather than harmful has been ingrained in society for almost a century,” she said.
The microbiome’s role in healthy aging and inflammaging prevention
Research is increasingly showing that the microbiome plays a central role in healthy aging, Dr. Bruno Pot, science director at Yakult Europe, told NI.
“The microbiota changes throughout life and often deteriorates in older age, making its maintenance especially important,” he said.
A recent workshop report developed with the Healthy Aging Task Force identified nutrition as the single most influential factor affecting healthy aging, with findings indicating that long-term nutritional strategies can help preserve health and prevent age-related decline, Pot explained.
Another study from Wageningen University examined biomarkers that distinguish biological age from chronological age, highlighting the microbiome as a promising source of biomarkers, measurable through small molecules in blood or urine, to track how the body biologically ages.
The research also confirmed that aging brings predictable physiological changes, like the decline of bifidobacteria, weakened immune function and increased chronic low-grade inflammation, or ‘inflammaging’.
“Although these changes are common, targeted interventions can mitigate them,” Pot said. “Diets rich in fiber and fermented foods, along with probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and postbiotics, can reduce the loss of beneficial bacteria and help counter inflammaging, and certain probiotics may also strengthen immune defenses against infections.”
Pot stressed that the goal is not only to extend lifespan but to improve healthspan, and through European collaboration via the Healthy Aging Task Force, Yakult is seeking to support a multidisciplinary approach to healthy aging.
Yakult Europe on gut health and aging: Lessons from Japan
European knowledge on the microbiome and aging is much more advanced than it was three decades ago, Dr. Kate Synnott, corporate and science communications manager at Yakult Europe told NI.
“What resonates most with European consumers is that Yakult was one of the first brands to introduce the concept of gut health and caring for your gut more than 30 years ago, and we still see this reflected today in consumer insights,” she said. “Staying true to its philosophical beliefs, Yakult focuses strongly on education around gut health, and while this topic can be complex and challenging, it has always been the core message and foundation of our communications.”
However, Synnott noted that Japan is much further ahead than Europe when it comes to longevity and healthy aging, thanks to the deeply embedded practices across all levels of society.
This is reflected in the many Yakult products that are available in Japan, which work with the multiple gut-related axes to improve health in areas like skin, liver and cognition.
“The products in Japan fit seamlessly into a holistic approach to healthy aging, while European consumers and many other global consumers are not quite there yet, and as a result, products in these markets do not yet fully reflect the concept of healthy aging in the same way,” she said.
Synnott noted Yakult’s 30-year presence in Europe has built strong foundations, and consumers are much more gut-health literate than they were, however more can be done to expand the impact of gut health knowledge and action across individuals, healthcare systems and society.
“In Europe, we still have a long way to go, and we’ve built a strong foundation around caring for gut health, but there is still much more to be done, and we cannot do this alone,” Synnott said.
“Progress will require collaboration—with healthcare organizations, the healthcare community, regulatory bodies, and other partners—to bring everything together and enable healthy aging across all aspects of society, similar to what we see in Japan.”
