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Yakult Indonesia still relies on imported milk for dairy drinks

By Minjun ParkIndonesia
1 min read
Yakult
Yakult
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Yakult Indonesia Persada, one of the major producers of fermented milk products, still relies on imported raw materials for its production in Indonesia.

Yakult Indonesia vice president and director Hiroyuki Kawada said the company had to import ingredients because local milk had yet to meet the standards for the company’s fermented milk |production.

“We mostly import the skimmed milk from Australia, and the rest is from Belgium,” he said.

Yakult Indonesia Persada, a subsidiary of Japan-based Yakult Honsha, was established in1990. The company operates a factory in Sukabumi, West Java, and another in Mojokerto, East Java.

The factories can produce 6.6 million 65-millilitre bottles of cultured dairy drink a day. The company sells its fermented milk through supermarkets and through “Yakult Lady”, a sales force of women who sell the product door-to-door in many parts of the country.

“There are 7,600 Yakult Ladies now, and they can reach 30 houses per day each,” said Antonius Nababan, the companies marketing communication and commercial (MCC) director. Zulkarnain, the MCC’s senior assistant manager, said sales averaged 5 million bottles a day.

Indonesia was the second-biggest market for Yakult products after Japan, which has 10.18 million consumers.

Questions & Answers

Q.

Why does Yakult Indonesia import milk instead of using local supplies?

A.

Hiroyuki Kawada, the vice president and director, stated the company imports milk because local milk has not yet met the required standards for their fermented milk production. They mostly import skimmed milk from Australia, with the rest coming from Belgium.

Q.

How many bottles of cultured dairy drink can Yakult Indonesia produce daily?

A.

The two Yakult Indonesia factories, located in Sukabumi, West Java, and Mojokerto, East Java, are capable of producing 6.6 million 65-millilitre bottles of cultured dairy drink every day.

Q.

How does the 'Yakult Lady' sales model contribute to daily sales figures?

A.

There are 7,600 Yakult Ladies, each visiting around 30 houses daily to sell the product door-to-door. This sales force contributes to an average of 5 million bottles sold per day.

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