Case study- yakult

• Yakult is a fermented milk drink, and a probiotic product. it is manufactured in numerous countries around the world.
• inputs

  • raw ingredients:- skim milk powder, sugar, water and a bacteria strain registered as lactobacillus casei shirota strain
  • building and equipment used to store, mix and ferment the ingredients as well as fill and pack the bottles the yakult is sold in
  • labour- employees overseeing the operations and packing processes.
• processes

  • making the unique bottles yakult is sold in
  • testing of product at various stages of process
  • filtering and sterilising the water
  • mixing the sugar and powdered with the water
  • heating the mixture and pumping it to a tank where the lactobacillus casei shirota is added
  • chilling then mixture
  • adding the flavouring
  • bottling the mixture
• output

  • final yakult product that is bottled, capped, wrapped in packs of 5 or 10 and then stored in the cool room until delivering to retail outlet
• Technology

  • Computer program:- uses a closed system ( no human contact) to transfer milk solution to the fermented tanks, through uses of series of pipes and values controlled by computer program. The computer program ensures the correct amount of solution is placed in the tank and automatically heated to optimum growth temperature.
• Technology

  • automated production line:- the uniquely shaped bottle is made on-site from recycled polystyrene pellets. After production of it, it is transported via a conveyor belt to the filling station, where they are labelled, filled, capped and packaged.
  • Robots- it is used to collect slabs of yakult and place them on a pallet.
• + of technology in yakult

  • automated production line:- produces between 40,000 and 45,000 bottles per hour
  • robots:- in 13 to 15 minutes, two pallets van be fully loaded with 8,400 each
• Materials

  • water used in production process, is sourced from metropolitan melbourne's water supply.
  • all other material used are ordered and delivered using just in time process. for instance, sugar and skim milk powder that is ordered and delivered just in time for injection. similarly the bottles are also manufactured when they need it for packing, labelling and other processes.
• manufacturing

  • Manufacturing processes performed in Yakult’s factories are capital intensive, with a high degree of machinery and equipment used in its production process.
  • There is a low degree of customer contact during production, as Yakult’s production and consumption occur separately.
  • Bottles of Yakult Original and Yakult Light are tangible and can be stored as inventory.
  • The production of each Yakult product is standardised, meaning every bottle is consistent with the business’s standards and identical to one another.
• Quality control

  • Yakult undertakes processes such as sampling, testing, and inspecting the finished product to ensure there are no errors in the final output that it provides to consumers.
  • During these quality control tests, Yakult examines the microbiological quality, composition, and taste of the probiotic milk drink.
  • Individual bottles along the production line are also randomly chosen and inspected for any incorrect printing, undesirable markings, and quality of the seals on the lid. Between 100 and 200 product samples are inspected each day.
• Quality assurance

  • gained endorsement from ‘Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points’ (HACCP), an internationally-recognised certification for food and public health specifications.
  • To achieve and maintain HACCP certification, Yakult implemented procedures such as requiring all operations employees to wear hair and beard nets to prevent contamination of its products. By implementing quality assurance measures, Yakult is able to report that it maintains excellence in personnel and factory hygiene standards, equipment cleaning, and food hygiene
• reduce (2020)

  • Reduction of water usage through actively upgrading to equipment that recycles coolant water.
  • An active focus on implementing initiatives that assist to reduce the amount of plastic used in packaging.
  • Reduction of time spent manually processing data through the use of specialised software.
• reuse

  • introduction of technologies that help to facilitate the reuse of water during the production process.
• recycle

  • Recycling any bottles that are discarded during the production process, so that the plastic can be reutilised.
  • Paper products from inputs, such as skim milk powder bags, are recycled.
  • Instead of discarding used bottles, they are collected for recycling and then transformed into other plastic products, such as chairs and tables.