Start of sales of "Yakult" in Hispanic market supermarkets in the United States

From June 1, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. (President, Sumiya Hori) will begin to proactively expand sales of “Yakult” into the Hispanic market in the State of California, United States.
The population of the Hispanic market in the US has been growing rapidly year after year and now represents 12.5% (35 million) of the total US population of 280 million. California, in particular, is becoming a market where Hispanics make up 33% (11 million) of the state’s total population of 33 million.
In addition, Mexico Yakult has been in operation since 1981 selling “Yakult” through both home delivery (Yakult Lady) and retail store channels, so the Yakult brand is widely recognized in that country. In the United States, Yakult International (USA) Inc. currently imports “Yakult” from Mexico Yakult and conducts sales mainly in Asian supermarkets; however, with the increase in the name recognition of the Yakult brand led by expansion in Mexico, specifically in recent years, the number of requests from retailers in California’s Hispanic market to sell “Yakult,” as well as requests from consumers to purchase it, have rapidly increased.
Therefore, through the addition of sales of “Yakult” in Hispanic supermarkets in California, Yakult aims to further expand recognition of the Yakult brand in the United States
See below for a summary regarding the actual sales of “Yakult” in the Hispanic market in California.

1. Product: Yakult (80ml size; imported from Mexico Yakult) 
   
2. Planned Retail Price: $2.99 (Approx. 321 Yen; 5 bottle packs)
   *As of March, $1 = 107.41 Yen
   
3. Start of Sales: June 1, 2005
4. Sales Area: The region of the State of California, centered around Los Angeles
5. Sales Channel: Retails store sales in Hispanic supermarkets
6. Sales Plan: By the 3rd year (January through end of December 2007), 25,000 bottles per day.

[For Reference] 

(1) Hispanic Population

* Source: 2000 US Census

(2) Number of Hispanic supermarkets in the State of California

* Initially, sales will begin in Large stores, expanding to Medium and Small stores later

(3) Yakult International (USA) Inc. has offices in Los Angeles and New York and conducts market research and sales of “Yakult” in the United States.

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