Sales of Sugar-Free Fermented Milk 'Yakult XO' Surpass 2 Million Units

hy's sugar-free fermented milk product 'Yakult XO' has reached a cumulative sales volume of 2 million units just one month after its launch.

Sales, which averaged around 40,000 units per day during the first week of release, have steadily increased and now exceed 100,000 units per day. Contrary to the preconception that a sugar-free product would lack flavor, its high-quality taste has been well received, leading to a growing number of repeat purchases.

Yakult XO is a zero-spec fermented milk product with 0% sugar, sweeteners, and fat. The 'XO' in the product name stands for 'X' (no sugar), '0' (zero), and 'Extra Old' (long-term fermentation).

hy 'Yakult XO'
Photo by hy

원본보기 아이콘

As its name suggests, Yakult XO has two key differentiators. First, it contains 0% sugar, sweeteners, and fat. Its calorie content is only 10 kcal per 100 ml, making it easy to consume without concern.

Rather than simply removing sugar, hy has used its proprietary technology to reduce sugar content. The new product features the 'LF-7' fermentation method, which involves culturing lactic acid bacteria for seven days.

The company's patented probiotic strain 'HY2782' consumes all the natural sugars in the raw ingredients, achieving zero sugar content. This method also preserves the unique sweet and tangy flavor of fermented milk. HY2782 is the flagship strain used in all of hy's fermented milk products.

Long-term culturing also increases the survival rate of probiotics in the intestines. In fact, the intestinal survival rate of probiotics cultured for a week using the LF-7 method reaches 48.3%, which is about five times higher than on the first day of culturing. Each bottle of Yakult XO contains five types of patented probiotics, guaranteeing 50 billion CFU (colony-forming units).

Kim Jieun, head of marketing at hy, said, "There were concerns that a sugar-free product would not taste good, but in reality, many have said the taste is on par with existing products. As consumers who tried it for themselves voluntarily shared their experiences, sales increased rapidly."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.