A Taste of Tokyo with Yakult: Behind the Scenes with the Aussie Team
/I recently had the incredible opportunity to travel to Tokyo with the Australian team from Yakult representing Mamma Knows as part of a journalist tour.
We’ve been working with Yakult for some time now, promoting their fantastic free factory tours in Dandenong and helping local families learn more about the science, people, and story behind the brand. Being chosen to represent Mamma Knows on this international experience was such an honour, and it gave me a rare behind-the-scenes look at just how much care, research and community connection goes into Yakult globally.
Yakult has been around for over 90 years, and it all started when Dr. Shirota discovered the Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain back in 1935. Since then, Yakult has continued to invest heavily in research around gut health and wellbeing. This trip gave me the chance to see firsthand just how deeply embedded that commitment is.
During my time in Japan, I attended lectures, toured production facilities, and even visited a Yakult Centre. This is a local delivery hub where staff head out with large trolleys (often carrying over $1,000 worth of product!) to deliver fresh Yakult to local businesses and homes. I was lucky enough to join one of these deliveries, and it was incredible to see the joy and connection it brings. Some office workers may not speak to anyone all day and the Yakult delivery is their friendly moment of connection, along with a product designed to support their health.
One of the most inspiring parts of the trip was meeting the Yakult team and what stood out most was the passion they all shared. From the factory floor to the executive level, every person I met believed wholeheartedly in what they were creating, making and delivering.
That passion is grounded in what Yakult calls Shirota-ism. This is a philosophy that champions preventive medicine, maintaining gut health, and making beneficial products accessible to as many people as possible. Their global mission to “inspire happiness and health through research and science” truly comes to life in the Yakult culture. It’s not just a slogan. It’s something they live every day.
What also stood out is that Yakult is everywhere in Japan. I even got to go to a Tokyo Swallows baseball game - a team proudly sponsored by Yakult. Just another example of how closely the brand is woven into everyday life. It’s more than a household name; it really is part of the national fabric!
The range of Yakult products in Japan is also far beyond what we see here in Australia. From drinks in different formulations to skincare, Yakult plays a role in daily wellness in so many ways. It was fascinating to see how integrated it is into everyday life - available in vending machines everywhere, fresh, or delivered daily, and trusted across generations.
Another unexpected highlight was visiting Yakult’s cosmetics institute, where I learned how the same Lactobacillus casei Shirota strain is used in their skincare products. Yep - Yakult isn’t just for your gut. It’s in high-quality Japanese skincare too.
From science to innovation, it was fascinating.
We also toured an elementary school affiliated with Japan Women’s University, where the children are served wholesome, homemade meals - and Yakult is a daily part of their lunch routine, often in the form of yoghurt or a dessert drink. It was a beautiful example of how the brand is introduced to kids as part of a healthy lifestyle from a young age..
This trip was more than a brand immersion it was a deeply enriching and amazing experience. It’s given me a new love for Japan (it was my first trip here) and cemented my appreciation for Yakult: the product, the people, and the purpose behind it all.
Mamma says do yourself and your gut a favour and check out their factory in Dandenong. Jump on one of their free tours, and most definitely get yourself some Yakult - Mamma Sammi.
Dandenong Factory tours run throughout the year and on school holidays You can find out more about them here
