Yakult hopes for Chinese sales rebound of its probiotic drinks

End of zero-COVID opens opportunity, but outlook for core market remains unclear

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Yakult Honsha's relative lack of home delivery in China could pose problems in a changing retail landscape. (Photo courtesy of Yakult Honsha)

YUSUKE YAGI, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- Japan's Yakult Honsha is seizing on China's economic reopening as a chance to regain its footing in a longtime core market for its probiotic drinks, hoping to revive a dormant growth engine.

The company debuted its seventh Chinese plant in the city of Wuxi late last month, adding 900,000 bottles a day to its production capacity. The opening was delayed well past the original plan of April 2022 amid coronavirus-related lockdowns.

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