A Healthier Tomorrow with Yakult
With the recent opening of its plant in Misamis Oriental, Yakult once again reinforces its mission to promote gut health and support disease prevention.
By Art+ Magazine Team
Photo courtesy of Yakult
August 31, 2025
Yakult, a probiotic drink that promotes gut health, has become a daily staple for many Filipinos. Its reputation for enhancing gut health has stood the test of time. For over 90 years, Yakult has been a trusted health drink across various parts of the world.
According to German medical doctor and professor Dr. Stephan Bischoff, an authority in gastroenterology and allergology, gut health offers a promising avenue for preventive medicine, provided we understand how to achieve and maintain it.
“Scientifically justified approaches to maintaining gut health and to preventing GI diseases are welcome. We have started to learn that lifestyle characteristics, such as a balanced diet, moderate but regular exercise, and avoidance of chronic stress, but also defined products such as select pre- and probiotics, can support gut health,” said Bischoff.
Backed by studies from Dr. Bischoff, Dr. Shawn Manske, and many other experts in America and Europe, the timeless adages “health is wealth” and “prevention is better than cure” ring truer than ever. These studies underscore the role of gut health in overall well-being and the importance of probiotics in supporting that balance.
The inclusion of probiotics as part of preventive health strategies has gained wide adoption around the world. Yakult’s story traces back to Dr. Minoru Shirota of Kyoto University, who researched and strengthened a lactic acid bacteria culture. Once developed, he introduced it as a probiotic health drink—Yakult.
Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. first launched the drink in Japan and Taiwan in the early 1930s. Today, it is enjoyed in over 40 countries and regions worldwide.
Dr. Shirota dedicated his life to developing a gut-enhancing strain of beneficial bacteria: Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LcS). The result, Yakult, has gained global recognition. It was officially introduced in 1978 in the Philippines.
A manufacturing plant was soon established in Calamba, Laguna, which has, for nearly five decades, served the probiotic needs of Filipino households. From Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao, Yakult’s popularity continues to be prominent, aiming to better reach families across the archipelago. Recently, Yakult Philippines built a second plant in Misamis Oriental.
According to Yakult Philippines, Inc. President Mr. Alberto R. Dy Sun, the newly inaugurated facility in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, is officially named the Yakult El Salvador Manufacturing Company Plant (YESMC Plant).
“The plant occupies a total floor area of 25,583 square meters, with a construction area of around 18,709 square meters,” Dy Sun said.
He also emphasized that each Yakult bottle contains 8 billion live Lacticaseibacillus paracasei strain Shirota (LcS), which supports and protects gut health.
With increasing evidence that gut health impacts overall health, including mental well-being, as some studies suggest, maintaining a healthy gut is a strong foundation for disease prevention. As Yakult’s enduring legacy shows, prevention truly is better than cure.
