| 1930 |
1930 |
- Dr. Minoru Shirota succeeds in strengthening and culturing lactic acid bacteria, useful for maintaining health (L. casei strain Shirota).
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| 1935 |
- Yakult is manufactured and introduced to the market.
|
| 1938 |
- Yakult is registered as a trademark.
|
| 1940 |
1940 |
- Local offices of the Association for Promotion of Preventive Bacteria Strain Shirota are established in various parts of Japan for the purpose of marketing and distributing Yakult.
|
| 1950 |
1955 |
- Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. is established. (Nishi Hatchobori, Chuo-ku,Tokyo)
- Research Institute is established in Kyoto.
|
| 1960 |
1963 |
- Yakult launches its unique Yakult Lady home delivery system.
|
| 1964 |
- Yakult Co., Ltd. (Taiwan) begins operations as the company's first overseas operation base.
|
| 1967 |
- Yakult Central Institute for Microbiology Research is established in Kunitachi, Tokyo.
|
| 1968 |
- The company takes over the management of the Sankei Atoms baseball team (now the Tokyo Yakult Swallows).
- Yakult S/A Ind. E. Com. (Brazil) begins operations.
- Yakult is introduced to the market in a new plastic container.
|
| 1969 |
- Hong Kong Yakult Co., Ltd. begins operations.
|
| 1970 |
1970 |
- Joie fermented milk is introduced to the market.
|
| 1971 |
- The company begins the full-scale sale of cosmetics.
- Yakult (Thailand) Co., Ltd. and Korea Yakult Co., Ltd. begin operations.
|
| 1972 |
- New head office building is completed in Higashi Shimbashi,Minato-ku, Tokyo.
- Program of regular visits to senior citizens by Yakult Ladies begins.
|
| 1975 |
- Biolactis Capsules ethical drug is introduced to the healthcare industry, thereby marking Yakult's entrance into the pharmaceutical business.
- Sofuhl fermented milk is introduced to the market.
|
| 1978 |
- Yakult Philippines, Inc. is established.
- Mil-Mil fermented milk - developed through the direct culture of bifidobacteria - is introduced to the market.
- Yakult Swallows win first Central League championship.
|
| 1979 |
- Yakult (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. begins operations.
- The company verifies the anticancer effect of lactobacillus YIT 9018 and begins the development of a lactobacilli-based anticancer drug.
- Yakult Seichoyaku intestinal regulator - an over-the-counter medicine - is introduced to the healthcare industry.
|
| 1980 |
1980 |
- Company stocks are listed on the Second Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
- Toughman health drink is introduced to the market.
|
| 1981 |
- Company stocks are listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
- Yakult S.A. De C.V. (Mexico) begins operations.
- Yakult 80 fermented milk drink is introduced to the market.
|
| 1982 |
- Mil-Mil E fermented milk is introduced to the market.
|
| 1986 |
- Fuji Susono Plant is completed for dairy-product manufacturing.
|
| 1987 |
- Facilities for the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and beverages are completed at the Fuji Susono Plant.
|
| 1988 |
- Calorian enriched nutritional liquid food product is introduced to the market.
|
| 1989 |
- Revecy S.E. Series is introduced to the market.
- Bifiel, fermented milk containing bifidobacteria, is introduced to the market.
|
| 1990 |
1990 |
- The company files an application with the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the approval to manufacture LC9018 immunitherapeutic anticancer agent (product name, Lemonal Injection).
|
| 1991 |
- P.T. Yakult Indonesia Persada begins operations.
- Representative office is opened in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Yakult 80 Ace fermented milk drink is introduced to the market.
|
| 1992 |
- Bioscience Research Foundation is established.
|
| 1994 |
- Yakult Australia Pty. Ltd. and Yakult Nederland B.V. begin operations.
- The manufacture of irinotecan hydrochloride, a cancer chemotherapeutic agent, is approved, and the drug is introduced to the healthcare industry under the brand name of Campto.
- The company receives the Minister for Health and Welfare Award for distinguished volunteer service on behalf of the program of regular visits to senior citizens.
|
| 1995 |
- Yakult Belgium S.A./N.V. begins operations.
- The sale of the CPT-11 chemotherapeutic anticancer drug is approved in France as a therapeutic drug for progressive recurrent intractable colorectal cancer.
- Parabio Series premium-quality skincare product line is introduced to the market.
- Yakult BL Seichoyaku intestinal regulator - which combines bifidobacteria and lactobacilli - is introduced to the market.
|
| 1996 |
- Yakult Europe B.V. is established.
- Yakult UK Ltd. and Yakult Deutschland GmbH begin operations.
- Yakult Fuji Distribution Center is completed.
- The sale of the CPT-11 chemotherapeutic anticancer drug is approved in the U.S. as a therapeutic drug for progressive recurrent intractable colorectal cancer.
|
| 1997 |
- Fuji Susono Plant receives ISO9002 certification.
*(The ISO9002 standard, as a result of ISO standard revisions, was integrated into the ISO9001 standard as of October 2002.)
- Yakult Argentina S.A. begins operations.
- The company receives the Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Award (in the Consumer Division) at the Excellent Corporations of Food Industry Awards.
- Revecy-N Series skincare product line is introduced to the market.
|
| 1998 |
- Ten Yakult Honsha plants and one subsidiary plant receive HACCP approval.
*All the food plants (ten Yakult Honsha plants and nine subsidiary plants)had obtained approval as of October 2001.
- Yakult is approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for labeling as Foods for Specified Health Uses.
- Bansoreicha is introduced to the market.
- Spherex arterial embolization material is introduced to the healthcare industry.
- Yakult 80 Ace, Yakult LT, Joie, Mil-Mil, and Mil-Mil E are approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for labeling as Foods for Specified Health Uses.
|
| 1999 |
- Yakult 400 fermented milk drink is introduced to the market.
- Bifiel, Yakult 400, and Sofuhl are approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for labeling as Foods for Specified Health Uses.
- The cancer prevention efficacy of L. casei strain Shirota is announced at the 58th General Meeting of the Japan Cancer Society.
- Kyoto plant receives ISO14001 certification.
|
| 2000 |
2000 |
- Bansoreicha is approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for labeling as Foods for Specified Health Uses.
- The company receives an award from the Nihon Shokuryo Shimbun (Japan Food Stuff Newspaper) for contributions to the development of the food industry during the 20th century.
|
| 2001 |
- Purela soft yogurt is introduced to the market.
- 21st century Food and Health Forum is held. (subsequently held annually)
|
| 2002 |
- World's first Automatic Intestinal Flora Analysis System is developed.
- Guangzhou Yakult Co., Ltd. begins operations.
|
| 2003 |
- Kurozu Drink is introduced to the market.
- Campto Injection wins the Chairman's Prize from Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation.
|
| 2004 |
- Yakult (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. begins operations.
- Entered into a strategic alliance with Groupe Danone.
- Sales of Yakult are begun in New Zealand.
- Pretio, a fermented milk drink is introduced to the market.
- Shanghai Yakult Co., Ltd. begins operations.
- Sales of Yakult are begun in Ireland.
- Yakult 300V is introduced to the market.
|
| 2005 |
- Research center is established in Europe (Belgium).
- Yakult (China) Co., Ltd. is established to oversee operations in China.
- Oxaliplatin, a cancer chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, is approved under the name of Elplat.
- Co-sponsored the FINA World Swimming Championships as an Official FINA Partner.
- Decision made to enter the Indian market in alliance with Groupe Danone.
- Three types of Bifiene, the new yogurt drink, are introduced to the market.
- Shanghai Yakult Marketing Co., Ltd. begins operations.
- Yakult Oesterreich GmbH begins operations.
|
| 2006 |
- Sofuhl LCS 100 is introduced to the market. Approved for labeling as Foods for Specified Health Uses.
- The name of Yakult's line of beauty products was changed to Yakult Beautiens.
- The process of acquiring ISO9001 and ISO14001 certification of marketing companies begins (integrated certification).
- Our new corporate slogan is decided: In order for people to be healthy, everything around them must also be healthy.
- Beijing Yakult Marketing Co., Ltd. begins operations.
- Yakult 300VLT is introduced to the market.
- The Yakult Crime and Disaster Prevention Council is established and a memorandum of understanding is concluded with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department regarding crimeprevention.
|
| 2007 |
- Yakult Italia S.r.l. begins operations.
- Local representative office of Yakult established in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
- Yakult Iwate Plant is completed.
- Sales of Yakult are begun in California, USA.
- Yakult Vietnam Co., Ltd. begins operations.
|
| 2008 |
- Yakult Danone India Pvt. Ltd. begins operations.
- Shonan Cosmetics Plant is completed. Conducted tour begin.
- BF-1, a new type of fermented milk drink, is introduced to the market.
- Chosei Tonyu Kokusandaizu Shiyo (Recognized as a Food for Specified Health Uses) is introduced to the market.
- Yakult SHEs is introduced to the market.
- Yakult 400LT is introduced to the market.
- Sales of Yakult are begun in the Central American country of Belize.
- Yakult receives a 2008 Good Design Long Life Design Award (G-Mark).
|
| 2009 |
- Yakult Calorie Half is introduced to the market.
- Revecy White is introduced to the market.
- Yakult SHEs Hard Type is introduced to the market.
- Joie container wins AsiaStar Award followed by WorldStar Award.
|
| 2010 |
- New version of bifidobacteria beverage Mil-Mil is introduced to the market.
- A water soluble formulation of the anticancer drug Elplat is introduced to the market.
- Average global sales of dairy products surpass 30 million bottles per day.
- Fermented milk drinks are recognized as a Codex international food standard.
- The preventive effect of Yakult against acute diarrhea in children is confirmed in a study performed jointly with the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases in India.
- The construction of the Hyogo Miki Plant is started.
- The Internet exclusive ikitel series is introduced to the market.
- Mil-Mil S is introduced to the market.
- The three-dimensional trademark for Yakult containers is recognized.
|
| 2011 |
- The long-term business management vision “Yakult Vision 2020” is formulated.
- Yakult publishes a thesis on its research agenda in the integrated science magazine Nature.
- Tianjin Yakult Co., Ltd. begins operations.
- The packaging for “ikitel” wins the Cosmetics Packaging Category Award in the Japan Packaging Contest 2011.
- Campto wins the Science Award from the Japanese Cancer Association.
- Fukushima Plant, Ibaraki Plant, and Saga Plant acquire ISO9001:2008 certification through an external audit.
- The new plant building of Fukushima Plant is completed.
|
| 2012 |
- “Mitsuboshi Factory” is born as a new brand. CHOBI, the first product, is introduced to the market.
- Yakult launches space-based activities under Yakult Space Discovery Project.
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