Yakult Selects US Factory

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YAKULT U.S.A. SELECTS CALIFORNIA AS LOCATION FOR
FIRST U.S. FACTORY -Domestic manufacturing of
Yakult probiotic drink to begin in 2012-
June 18, 2010 (Torrance, CA) Yakult U.S.A.
Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based company Yakult
Honsha Co., Ltd., has selected the City of
Fountain Valley, California as the location of
its first U.S. factory. With operations set to
start in 2012, the facility will produce 250,000
bottles per day of the companys signature
probiotic drink Yakult and serve the current
sales territories mainly California, Nevada,
Arizona, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico where
it is available through most major retailers. The
new factory will poise the company for expansion
into new regions. We are looking forward to the
completion of the Yakult California Factory since
it will allow us to provide our product to more
and more people across the country, says
Executive Vice president and C.O.O. Mr. Teruo
Tabuchi. In the heart of Orange County, Fountain
Valley is ideal because it is in close proximity
to Los Angeles, which is our biggest market
now. Though Yakult is celebrating its 75th
anniversary and has become a staple household
product in over 30 countries, the probiotic drink
was first introduced to the U.S. general market
in late 2007 and has experienced steady and
promising growth. In 2009 an average of 90,000
bottles of Yakult were being consumed on a daily
basis, a growth rate of 41 compared to the prior
year. Last month alone, 110,000 bottles were
drunk in the U.S. The new factory will sit on
387,000 square feet of land and have a maximum
production capacity of 760,000 bottles per day.
The company will continue to import the beverage
from Guadalajara, Mexico, the closest plant to
U.S. borders, until the factory opens. Yakult
U.S.A. Inc. is headquartered in Torrance, CA and
currently distributes Yakult, one of the worlds
leading probiotic beverages, in the U.S. and
Canadian markets. Yakult was created by
microbiologist Dr. Minoru Shirota in 1935 in
Japan to help people maintain good health. Yakult
Honsha Co., Ltd. was established in Japan in 1955
and is regarded as the worlds pioneer of
probiotics. For more information, please visit
www.yakultusa.com.