'Have you had one today?': Adapting a Japanese probiotic drink for Hong Kong consumers

Abstract

Yakult is one of the most popular probiotic drinks among Asians. The drink was first introduced in the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka in Kyushu in 1935, and the company began its international market expansion as early as 1964 starting from Taiwan. In Hong Kong, Yakult is one of the first Japanese food products that was embraced by Chinese citizens. The company set up its Hong Kong subsidiary in 1969, when there were only 1,156 Japanese nationals in the territory. The main target customers were not Japanese expatriates; but rather colony’s emerging middle class. The 1988 advertising slogan, “Have you had one today?”, was so successful that most Hong Kongers today understand the question as “Have you had your Yakult today?” How did Yakult become a trusted “health drink” that sells more than 200 million bottles a year in Hong Kong? Based on oral history interviews with executives of Yakult Hong Kong, early promotional materials and company documents, this paper considers how the company gradually adapted its Japanese probiotic drink for Hong Kong consumers. I will analyze Yakult Hong Kong’s localization efforts in terms of its distribution method while touching upon branding, sizing, and the company’s human resources management.