Almere, 14 April 2026 – Yakult Europe B.V., the European headquarters of probiotic pioneer Yakult, today announces the appointment of Mr. Hiroaki Yoshimura as its new Managing Director. He succeeds Mr. Hiroyasu Matsubara, who has served as Managing Director of Yakult Europe and will now take on the role of Senior Advisor to Yakult Europe.
Proven leader
Hiroaki Yoshimura brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of the Yakult brand to his new role. He began his career in sales at Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., the global headquarters in Japan before moving to Yakult Australia, where he spent 11 years as a sales advisor. He has served as Managing Director of Yakult UK & Ireland, where he led the organisation through a period of significant growth and brand development, through fostering integration between departments. Under his leadership, Yakult UK & Ireland expanded its product portfolio, strengthened consumer awareness around gut health, and successfully delivered major pan-European campaigns such as the widely recognized ‘My Yakult’ initiative.
On his vision for Yakult Europe, Mr. Yoshimura says: ‘Yakult is the leading pioneer in probiotics in Europe, a position that is rooted in the vision of our founder, Dr. Shirota, and his guiding principle that a healthy gut leads to a long and happy life. As we continue to grow our range of fermented milk and soy drinks, most recently with the launch of Yakult Plus Peach and Yakult Vitals, we remain true to that legacy, offering products that genuinely support gut health and overall well-being. Working closely with our teams across Europe, I am committed to ensuring that more consumers discover, experience and embrace Yakult as part of their daily well-being routine and to fulfil our founding mission to contribute to people’s health and happiness.’
Gratitude for Mr. Matsubara’s leadership
Yakult Europe expresses its deep appreciation for the leadership and dedication of Mr. Hiroyasu Matsubara. During his tenure as Managing Director, Mr. Matsubara guided Yakult Europe through important milestones, including the rollout of new product variants and the celebration of 30 years of Yakult’s sponsorship of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. He has been a tireless ambassador for Yakult’s founding mission: contributing to the health and happiness of people around the world. In his new capacity as Senior Advisor, Mr. Matsubara will continue to support the organisation and ensure a smooth transition of leadership.
Yakult marks three decades in Europe
Yakult entered Europe in 1993, one of the first companies to introduce the gut health concept to European consumers. Yakult Europe B.V. was established in Almere, the Netherlands, in 1993 and serves as the regional headquarters of Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd. for the European market. On 28 March 1994, the very first bottle of Yakult was produced at the Almere facility, a milestone that marked the start of Yakult’s European journey. Today, Yakult products are produced in Almere and distributed across 13 European countries, with offices operating in six European markets. The Almere facility remains the main production location for Yakult products in Europe, a choice made in part for the Netherlands’ high drinking-water quality, advanced dairy technology, and its central geographic position as a gateway to the rest of Europe.
Globally, Yakult products are enjoyed by more than 38 million people every day across 40 countries and regions. The product itself traces its origins to 1935, when Japanese scientist and microbiologist Dr. Minoru Shirota developed the fermented milk drink containing the now-iconic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei Shirota strain scientifically proven to reach the gut alive. His guiding principle that a healthy gut leads to a long and happy life’ remains the foundation of everything Yakult does today.
Yakult’s European product range currently includes Yakult Original, Yakult Balance, and Yakult Plus Peach. In 2025, Yakult Honsha further deepened its commitment to European innovation by establishing a new European R&D center on the Wageningen Campus in Gelderland, representing a € 3.7 million investment and intended as a global hub for food innovation.