| The company invested Rs 136 crore for setting up the probiotic business and it plans to spent an additional Rs 100 crore for marketing and promotional activities over the next five years. |
| "We hope to break-even in the next four years with revenues of Rs 113 crore," Kiyoshi Oike,MD,YDI said. |
| Yakult Danone India (YDI) is a 50: 50 joint venture between Japanese probiotics major Yakult Honsha and French dairy major Group Danone. |
| Danone, which already has a joint venture with the Wadia family for confectionery business under the name of Britannia India, has received a no objection certificate (NOC) from the latter to enter the probiotic business in India. |
| The new product will be available in Delhi and the national capital region (NCR) in the next six-nine moths followed by other metros and tier-II cities in the North. YDI has tied up with 150 retail outlets in Delhi to sell the product apart from appointing a team of 30 women for door-to-door promotion. |
| The product has been priced at Rs 10 for a 65 ml bottle. The drink is said to contain more than 6.5 billion beneficial bacteria that boost immunity and aid digestion. |
| "Though the market for probiotics in India is still at a nascent stage, health consciousness among consumers is growing fast," Oike added. |
| Yakult Danone joins the league of Amul, Mother Dairy and Nestle, who are the only other players in the Indian probiotic food market. |
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