Source:11/24/2023 Nikkei MJ
Kewpie aims 10 billion yen sales by2030 with Lactic acid bacteria.
Kewpie Corporation is expanding its business related to acetic acid bacteria. They plan to release a supplement in December that includes a developed proprietary ingredient, claiming to support immune function. The intention is to sell the acetic acid bacteria used in the supplement to over 50 companies, including beverage manufacturers, both domestically and internationally. In the related business, they aim for a sales revenue of 10 billion yen by 2030.
The unique material is called “acetic acid bacteria GK-1,” known for maintaining the immune function of healthy individuals and reducing discomfort from nasal irritation caused by factors like pollen. The supplement named “Diareru Plus,” set to be released on December 4th, has been accepted as a functional food. Priced at 3,780 yen for 60 pills, it will be sold on their e-commerce (EC) site and other platforms.
According to Kewpie, acetic acid bacteria GK-1 maintains its effectiveness even when heated and is tasteless and odorless, making it easy to incorporate into various foods. Kewpie is considering its inclusion in products such as mayonnaise and dressing. President Mitsuru Takamiya stated, “Our accumulated research on acetic acid bacteria is our strength. We want to cultivate it as the next pillar of the group, considering significant investments.”
Acetic acid bacteria are fermentation bacteria necessary for making vinegar, often included in products like mayonnaise. Kewpie possesses over 100 types of acetic acid bacteria, and through research, they discovered the effects of acetic acid bacteria GK-1 on relieving nasal discomfort from pollen and maintaining immune function.
Traditionally, the fermentation of acetic acid bacteria used to produce was limited to small amounts. However, with their unique fermentation technology and investments, including the establishment of new production facilities at the Itsuka Factory in Ibaraki Prefecture, Kewpie has set up a production system capable of producing approximately 50 times more acetic acid bacteria. This enables the affordable sale of supplements and the external sale of materials.
Yōhei Okuyama, involved in the acetic acid bacteria business, expressed a desire to introduce products containing acetic acid bacteria, similar to lactic acid bacteria drinks. Due to the current low awareness of acetic acid bacteria, they actively aim to provide materials to other companies.
The food industry is focusing on functional foods for immune support due to increased health and disease prevention awareness. Companies like Kirin Holdings and Asahi Group Holdings are selling products containing “plasma lactic acid bacteria” and “L-92 lactic acid bacteria,” respectively.
Kewpie released its predecessor, “Diareru,” in 2020. The company also sells supplements containing hyaluronic acid and other ingredients. The sales revenue of the supplement business, which was approximately 1.2 billion yen in 2015, has grown to about 5 billion yen, roughly four times, by 2022.
The functional labeling system and the heightened awareness of disease prevention, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, have contributed to the growth of this sector.
In December, Kewpie will be launching a new product called “Diareru Plus.”
Picture from Kewpie website
kirinholdings’s total sales volume of beverages containing “Plasma Lactobacillus” will increase 35% year-on-year in the January-June period of 2023
Picture from kirin holdings
The Asahi Group’s product “Protecting working lactic acid bacteria W200 PET200ml” is a dairy beverage that contains carefully selected L-92 lactic acid bacteria, derived from years of research associated with “Calpis.”
Picture from Asahi Group
The food industry in Japan is placing a significant emphasis on functional foods with immune-boosting claims in response to the increasing awareness of health and disease prevention, particularly in this aging society.
In the January 2024 report, Martner Japan will concentrate extensively on health and wellness functional foods and beverages.