Yakult UK & Ireland has appointed Shinji Yamaguchi as managing director, succeeding Hiroaki Yoshimura, who is moving to the company’s European headquarters in the Netherlands to become managing director of Yakult Europe.

The probiotic drinks specialist said the appointment comes at a key moment for the business as it looks to build on growing consumer interest in gut health across the UK and Ireland.

Yoshimura leaves the role after 11 years in the UK, including eight as managing director, during which Yakult expanded its product range, rolled out pan-European campaigns including “My Yakult”, and helped raise awareness of gut health among consumers.

Yakult said Yamaguchi’s appointment will build on that momentum while bringing a fresh perspective to the business.

He brings more than 30 years of experience with the company, having started his career in home deliveries, a core part of Yakult’s direct-to-consumer model, before going on to hold roles across multiple markets and functions.

His experience includes time in the US, where he helped build Yakult’s early operations across sales, logistics and operations, as well as his most recent role in the company’s international business division in Japan, where he led market development plans and supported capability building across the global business.

Yakult said that mix of frontline and international experience would help the business maintain its position in an increasingly competitive market.

Yamaguchi said: “Having worked in a number of international markets, I’m excited to now lead the continued growth of Yakult across the UK and Ireland.

“These are mature markets with strong foundations where Yakult has earned a position of trust through its unmatched expertise in the field of probiotics.

“My focus is to build on that by making clear, informed decisions that strengthen trust with consumers, customers and the wider category. It’s particularly encouraging to see the strong awareness of gut health here, not only among consumers but also within the scientific and medical communities who already work closely with our European Research Centre for Microbiology and science team based in the UK.”

Yakult said the appointment comes at a pivotal time for the fast-growing gut health category, as retailers increasingly look to trusted and established brands to deliver long-term value for more health-conscious shoppers.

The business added that Yamaguchi’s international background would be important in helping connect wider corporate priorities with the needs of local markets in the UK and Ireland.

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