Yakult makes a conscious effort to ensure the manufacturing process creates as little waste as possible and we endeavour to reduce the amount of energy our factory needs to run efficiently.

Here is a list of just a few things we do!

• Effective waste management strategies contribute to a cleaner and less wasteful facility – 99.5 % of Yakult’s raw ingredients end up in the bottle. There are no by-products.
• Cleaning waste is processed in the on-site water treatment facility.
• Recycling of packaging materials occurs where it is economically and environmentally viable, for example:
  • Paper products such as skim milk powder bags are recycled.
  • Bottles are collected for recycling. They are crushed and mixed with other resin to be repurposed into products such as plastic chairs and tables.
• Keeping equipment well maintained
• Heating liquids with heat exchange plates so that energy is not lost or wasted
• Not using chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) in cooling or refrigeration
• Using off peak rates for utilities where possible
• Using a natural gas boiler for short periods which does not pollute the air
• Using LED lights

Did you know?

Our bottles are actually Code 6 recyclable!

Due to the introduction of our bottle making machinery prior to recycling labels being required on packaging; this is why you do not see a recycling symbol featured on our bottles. Check with your council to see if they recycle this type of plastic.

Now you can enjoy your bottle of Yakult knowing that we’ve done our bit for the environment!

Come for a factory tour to find out more about what we do to be friendly to our environment!

You may have heard of people talking about low FODMAP diets or have seen “FODMAP Friendly” logos on some food packaging in your supermarket. So, what are FODMAPs and how might they affect your gut?

FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides Disaccharides Monosaccharides And Polyols. FODMAPs represent a group of sugars which travel to the large intestines without being absorbed by the small intestines. After arriving in the large intestines, bacteria from the gut ferments these sugars and produces gas.

FODMAPS are naturally present in a range of our foods and most people have no issues eating them. In fact, some FODMAPs in our foods are prebiotics which act as a food source for our good bacteria and help keep our gut healthy. Some of the foods that contain prebiotics include onion, garlic, leek and legumes (eg. Chickpeas, lentils and red kidney beans). Including foods containing prebiotic in your diet alongside a probiotic, such as Yakult, can help maintain the number of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system.

Some individuals, who have a very sensitive gut or are unable to digest certain sugars, may experience gut symptoms such as bloating, lower abdominal discomfort/pain, wind, constipation and/or diarrhoea after the consumption of certain FODMAP containing foods. In these situations, see your medical practitioner or dietitian for specific medical advice. A low FODMAP diet is not intended to be a long-term diet.

For the general population, FODMAPs are part of our everyday diet and is not something we need to avoid. If you do experience some of the gut related symptoms mentioned above, seek professional medical advice and support before trialling any diets.

Perri Yiu
Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)

We often get enquiries from consumers about how to open the bottle without the foil breaking. We’ve made this video to help you out when opening your bottle of Yakult so you can enjoy your refreshing drink everyday.

To Open a bottle of Yakult

• Starting from the tab on the cap
• Lift the foil away from the whole bottle
• From the tab lift the foil gently from the rim of the bottle
• And enjoy your bottle of Yakult

What does a robotic arm do?

The robotic arm’s main role in the factory is to stack slabs of Yakult on to pallets. A slab is made up either 5 or 10 packs of Yakult packed in to groups of 50 bottles. Three slabs of Yakult are picked up each time by the robotic arm and are stacked onto a pallet ready for transportation to stores around Australia and New Zealand. The robotic arm works efficiently, taking just 15 minutes to fully stack a pallet of 168 slabs or 8,400 bottles ready to be delivered to a store near you.

Why do we need a robotic arm?

We are looking out for our employees who previously manually checked the slabs prior to stacking them onto a pallet. This was a labour-intensive and time-consuming job which we are now able to minimise with the introduction of the robotic arm. This removes the risk of injuries to staff and frees them up to carry out other responsibilities in the factory

Interested in finding out more and seeing our robotic arm in action?

Discover how Yakult is made by visiting our Yakult manufacturing facility here in Dandenong.

Contact us to book your own FREE personalised tour!

Meet the Yakult Australia’s Information Service team, Melanie, Dinah, Leanne and Mel have experience and an interest in all things Yakult including health, education, nutrition and scientific research. The team is made up of Dietitians, Educators and Public Relations Officers equipped to answer your questions on all things Yakult, probiotics and gut health!

Contact us anytime via our Feedback and Query page or on our Free call number

(Monday – Friday 8.00am – 5.00pm AEST)

Australia 1800 640 023

New Zealand 0800 Yakult

No questions are too trivial. Here is one of the many popular questions about Yakult

When and how often should I drink Yakult?

Our slogan is ‘Yakult, for every body, every day’. Yakult can be enjoyed daily, at any time of the day, morning, noon or night, with or without food. This is because the live Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain in Yakult survives the digestive process, arriving alive in your intestines ready to give your digestive system a helpful boost!

So grab your daily drink of Yakult today!

Throughout May we have had over 2,000 VCE students visit our factory to see the manufacturing process to support their studies in Business Management focusing on the unit of operations management.

The tours are tailored to match the VCE curriculum demonstrating the textbook theory in application here at Yakult following the production process. It allows the students to think critically about what they have learnt and how it is applied in the real world. Each student also receives a show bag containing information about Yakult, the production process, a tour souvenir and the option to sample a bottle of Yakult.

The business management students can see the inputs, transformations, outputs and supply principles related to their unit as well as develop a greater understanding of the quality control and assurance measures used at Yakult. Our continuous improvements to the factory facility means that we are able to explain and demonstrate our latest manufacturing processes. We are also able to demonstrate our efforts in the area of corporate and social responsibility, by contributing to the health and happiness of our workers and customers.

Yakult Australia proudly promotes our free factory tours, which can be tailored toward a large variety of school topics and year levels. This includes Food Technology, Science, Health and production processes such as ‘raw to ready’ and ‘paddock to plate’ concepts. If you think you or your school would benefit from a tailored factory tour, please contact Yakult to book your tour today!

Everybody is welcome for a tour! We look forward to providing you with a fun, interactive and insightful experience.

We regularly receive tour requests from a wide variety of community groups and clubs around Victoria and are always happy to oblige.

We were delighted to host the Northern Peninsula Classic Car Club on a tour of our manufacturing facility this month. We were equally as delighted to spend some time in our car park after the tour enjoying the sunshine and admiring their classic cars.

Are you part of a club or community group that would be interested in taking a free tour of the Yakult factory?

If so, we’d love to hear from you. Please call us on 1800 640 023 to arrange a tour.

Did you know that we have ten times as many microbial cells when compared human to cells in our bodies?

Our body is an ecosystem of micro-organisms (or microbes) such as bacteria, and not all of these bacteria are the bad kinds that cause diseases we so often hear about. There is a balance of beneficial and potential harmful bacteria in our bodies, particularly in our digestive system. These micro-organisms assist in developing our immune system, digesting food and may in fact influence your behaviour. These microbes also play an important role in protecting us from disease. More and more discoveries are being made describing the importance of these tiny micro-organisms in our overall health.

So what can we do to keep these micro-organisms in balance?

• Eat a wide variety of foods, with a majority being plant based. The fibre found in plant based foods is known as a prebiotic. The fibre feeds the micro-organisms in your digestive system.
• Avoid unnecessary taking of antibiotics. Antibiotics cannot differentiate between the beneficial and harmful bacteria in your body. Unnecessary use may impact the varieties and balance of micro-organisms in your body’s ecosystem. However, antibiotics are vital in alleviating some illnesses and disease and should be followed as prescribed by a Healthcare Professional.
• Stress can affect the micro-organisms in your digestive system and may make your more susceptible to some disease and illness. Utilising stress management strategies or avoiding stressful situations is beneficial for your gut microbes.
• Taking a probiotic supplement, when in poor health can help build up the levels of beneficial bacteria in your digestive system. Yakult is a great option for those looking for a food based probiotic. Other options may include taking probiotics tablets/capsules, eating fermented foods such as yoghurt, kefir or kombucha.

Hopefully these tips help in keeping you and your microbes well!

Yakult’s Mr Kenji Ono & Rebels Managing Director Andrew Cox

Yakult Australia Pty Ltd has partnered with the Melbourne Rebels ahead of the 2017 Super Rugby season.

Yakult will serve as the Club’s official daily probiotic partner for season 2017 and will significantly feature at Melbourne Rebels home games during this year’s Super Rugby competition.

Yakult will prominently feature at AAMI Park with branding rights of the four goal post pads, along with visibility on the pitch with half time activations, in-stadium promotions and big screen advertising throughout the partnership.

Melbourne Rebels Managing Director Andrew Cox said “We are excited to welcome back Yakult Australia to the Rebels family and look forward to working with them closely during a very exciting period for the Club”.

“The return of global brand Yakult as a partner is a reflection on the Super Rugby Club’s status in the Australian sporting landscape and reinforces the Rebels longstanding relationship with Japanese Rugby and business.”

Yakult’s Director, Sales & Corporate Affairs David Whatley said:

“We are delighted to renew our partnership with the Melbourne Rebels,” Whatley said.

“Since their inception the Rebels have been dedicated to their community and to excellence in everything they do, values that are shared by Yakult. We eagerly look forward to the beginning of the 2017 season. Go Rebels!”

The Melbourne Rebels return to action with a series of pre-season trial matches in early February, including the much anticipated Brisbane Global Rugby Tens, before they kick off the 2017 Super Rugby season against the Blues at AAMI Park on Thursday 23 February.

Melbourne Rebels membership and single game ticket packages are available from melbournerebels.com.