Yakult is known the world over for its iconic 65ml probiotic dairy drinks. But in Europe it's taking a new direction, adding to its range a soy-based, dairy-free drink in a 200ml package in a bid to get wider consumption.

Debuting in the Netherlands but planned to go into more European markets, the new beverage is called Vitals. It targets lactose-intolerant consumers and others seeking dairy alternatives, as well as health-conscious consumers more broadly. Yakult says it's aiming to sell 1.3 million packages of Vitals in the first year.

Vitals is made by fermenting soy milk with lactic acid bacteria and contains added fruit juice. It comes in two flavours - strawberry and mango-passionfruit. The 200ml carton package with a screw-top is bigger and quite different from the classic 65ml Yakult bottle and Vitals is clearly positioned as more of a refreshment beverage.

Each 200ml carton delivers:

• 5.2g of protein

• 13g of sugars

• 15% of the RDI of magnesium

• 15% of the RDI of calcium

• 15% of the RDI of zinc

• 18.8% of the RDI of vitamin D

Delivering the micro-nutrients at an RDI of 15% or above enables the brand to make permitted generic claims in Europe as follows:

• vitamin D helps the immune system

• calcium supports digestion

• magnesium supports energy levels

• zinc is good for concentration

The Netherlands was where Yakult's dairy probiotic first appeared 30 years ago and where the company is headquartered. It's also one of Europe's three most plant-forward markets - the other two are Germany and the UK. That plant-forward inclination is a product of the poor food culture in the three countries, which have high consumption of ultra-processed foods. It's a marked contrast to the strong food cultures of southern Europe (in Portugal for example UPFs make up only 10% of the diet) where plant alternatives have never made much headway.

Launching a soy drink just as the European plant-based dairy alternatives market has plateaued is either a wise move and Yakult is applying the lessons of the last 10 years or it's intending to create a niche brand. Time will tell.

The 75 year-old brand Yakult brand, sold from Mexico to South Korea to Indonesia, is one of the world's two or three most successful probiotic dairy brands (the other two are Danone Activia and Meiji Bulgaria). But in Europe, where Yakult debuted back in 1995, the product has only ever performed modestly, selling in just a few countries. Europe accounts for just 2.4% of Yakult's sales. That's not Yakult's fault, rather it's a reflection of the innovation-stifling business and regulatory environment in Europe (Europe has no AI companies for example).