Probiotic Drink Yakult(R) Boosts Las Vegas Market

     -Yakult's expansion includes consumer education and free sampling-



    TORRANCE, Calif., Aug. 14 /EMWNews/ -- The Kroger Co.'s grocery

chain Smith's, a popular Las Vegas food store, will now be selling

probiotic dairy beverage Yakult(R) in all regional locations. Yakult, an

international favorite for more than 70 years, crossed into select

mainstream grocery stores in Las Vegas and Southern California merely last

fall. This single-shot drink contains around 8 billion live and active

probiotics called Lactobacillus casei Shirota, which is exclusive to Yakult

products. Drinking one small bottle daily may have health benefits, such as

balancing the body's digestive system and boosting natural defenses. Yakult

can be found in the refrigerated dairy aisle of all Smith's Las Vegas

stores.



    



    "The benefits of probiotics have been known and studied for years,"

says Mr. Masaaki Sunami, Commercial Director of Yakult U.S.A. "Our main

priority is educating people accurately about the health benefits, while

providing a high-quality product produced by a trusted company."



    The Yakult Company's key strategy for educating consumers in the U.S.

is having free product demonstrations at participating grocery stores.

Customers can sample the product and ask specific questions to trained

Yakult professionals. Typically, questions range from the basic "what are

probiotics?" to "how many should I have each day?" or "how is it different

than yogurt?". In Japan, there are more than 46,000 Yakult Ladies who

deliver the product door-to-door and provide health and nutrition

information for free.



    "Establishing great rapport with consumers is key to Yakult's success

around the world," adds Vice President and C.O.O. Mr. Teruo Tabuchi. Since

Yakult's general market rollout in 2007, the company has passed out

hundreds of thousands of free samples of the citrus-flavored drink while

educating people about the health benefits of probiotics.



    Yakult(R) is the world's leading probiotic beverage and is sold in more

than 30 countries and regions around the world. Yakult U.S.A. Inc. is a

subsidiary of Tokyo-based Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. and is headquartered in

Torrance, CA. It supports Yakult's business in the United States and

Canada. Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. was established in Japan in 1955 and is

regarded as the world's pioneer of probiotics. The quality of Yakult(R) is

supported by more than 70 years of scientific research. Scientists all over

the world continue to confirm and expand knowledge regarding the benefits

of probiotics and Yakult(R). In 1999 Yakult U.S.A. Inc. set up operations

in Los Angeles. To learn more, visit http://www.yakultusa.com.






     Contact:  Lauren Weidelman

               Yakult U.S.A. Inc.

               (310) 542-7065 ext. 107

               [email protected]