Corporate name

Yakult Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd.

Description of business

Manufacturing and sales of Galactooligosaccharides (GOS), enzyme preparations, functional foods, and cosmetic materials.

President & CEO

Yoshihiro Goto

Stockholder

Yakult honsha Co., Ltd. (100%)

Paid-in capital

50 million yen

Date incorporated

1986

History

1956

Initiated the research of enzymes for the purpose of producing glucose. (Kinki Yakult Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)

1961

Initiated the production and sales of enzyme preparations for food processing. (Kinki Yakult Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)

1967

Initiated the production and sales of enzyme preparations for medical use. (Kinki Yakult Manufacturing Co., Ltd.)

1975

Succeeded the operation of Kinki Yakult Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.)

1976

Discovered galacto-oligosaccharides in the development process of lactose-degrading enzyme. (Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd.)

1978

Succeeded in developing a plant called Pomato, which grows as potatoes below ground and tomatoes above ground, by using Yakult’s cell fusion technology utilizing enzymes at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.

1986

Established Yakult Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., as a subsidiary of Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., by spinning off its sales department of enzyme preparations.

1989

Launched a galacto-oligosaccharide product "Oligomate".

2009

Acquired a Yakult’s group company Nihon Chlorella Co.,Ltd.

2010

Obtained GRAS certification for Oligomate.
TOS propionate agar medium (TOS medium), a selective medium for enumerating bifidobacteria, is certified as an official medium for enumerating bifidobacteria by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Dairy Federation. (ISO 29981/IDF 220)

2012

Obtained Kosher certification for Oligomate.

2013

Obtained HALAL certification for Oligomate.
Obtained marketing authorization in the EU for Oligomate.