By Tomoharu Mizuno / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

Kirin Holdings Co. aims to significantly expand overseas sales of its lactic acid bacteria, which it says help support the immune system, from as early as January, CEO Yoshinori Isozaki told The Yomiuri Shimbun.

By entrusting a Canadian company with sales of its proprietary "Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma," Kirin aims to go from offering them in 13 countries to about 80 countries.

Currently, overseas sales of the product are handled by Kirin group companies. But this has been a challenge, as differing standards and regulations across countries have made it time consuming to obtain approval from authorities.

Kirin has signed a consignment contract with Lallemand, a Canada-based company manufacturing and selling yeasts, lactic acid bacteria and other ingredients. By leveraging Lallemand's expertise, Kirin hopes to accelerate its expansion abroad.

Isozaki said the company aims to increase global sales of the product "fivefold by 2030 compared to 2025."

The Kirin group currently sells beverages, supplements and other products containing L. lactis Plasma. It already sells the bacteria in North America and Europe. By collaborating with Lallemand, it expects to further expand abroad.

Amid shrinking demand for alcohol in Japan, Kirin has positioned its health science business, centered on L. lactis Plasma, as a key growth driver. The company aims to improve profitability by expanding sales channels for the product.

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This article is from The Yomiuri Shimbun. Neither Dow Jones Newswires, MarketWatch, Barron's nor The Wall Street Journal were involved in the creation of this content.

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December 12, 2025 03:23 ET (08:23 GMT)

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