Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
The Health Science Business Department, Kirin Holdings Company, Limited, is engaged in BtoB business, like selling specialty ingredients to partner companies, and BtoC business, like the selling of supplements online, under the Health Science Business Division.
June 5, 2023
We will significantly expand touch points with consumers by cooperating with all partner companies. In addition, promotion of consumer understanding will lead to innovation, through which we will make contributions to solving the health issues of even more consumers. We aim to double the current amount of Lactococcus lactis strain Plasma (LC-Plasma) Series foods with functional claims in the future.
2022 Year in Review
- In recent years in Japan, the growth of the health foods market has been limited. The immune-related product market temporarily expanded due to the spread of COVID-19, but the market shrunk in 2022. However, we think the various social issues, such as the growing aging population and the rising cost of social security, will create opportunities for market growth in the long-term. Furthermore, the global health foods market is continuing to grow.
- In 2022, we established the Health Science Business Division and remodeled our structure. We drafted a medium- to long-term strategy for the Health Science domain, applied it to each group company, and monitored them. We were also cooperating with Kirin Beverage and Kyowa Kirin, contemplating mergers and acquisitions, and working to improve organizational abilities.
- The LC-Plasma BtoB and BtoC businesses, which are directly controlled by Kirin Holdings, were working to make immunity care habits. The sales of LC-Plasma Series products were up 140% compared to last year.
2023 Initiatives
- In regard to the BtoB business, we will create an environment in which immune care will be accessible in all aspects of our lives by strengthening our coordination with partner companies to which LC-Plasma is licensed and further enhancing our product lineup.
- As for the BtoC business, in order to consistently carry out a strategy as a group, we will establish a shared forward-looking plan for the coming years with Kirin Beverage and other operating companies and implement strategic marketing activities. Further, we will continue developing academic information to improve functional recognition.
- By not only conducting our BtoC business but also involving the partner companies of our BtoB business to promote our “BtoB/BtoC Linkage Model,” which will improve the value of ingredients, we will normalize immune care habits and significantly expand the market.
- We will enhance our high value supplement lineup in our company’s DtoC channels.
- From a long-term perspective, enhancing the sales process of our specialty ingredients is essential. For this reason, we built the Institute of Health Sciences in our Health Science Business Division in April 2023, and the business and R&D departments will work together to focus more on the research and development of new ingredients.
Launch of Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Good Sleep Plus and
Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Visceral Fat Down
Although immunity plays an incredibly important role as the foundation of health, it is difficult to feel the effects of immune care products, and unlike the individual-based health issues of sleep and obesity, their needs were difficult to make apparent. The main issue for establishing immune care habits in Japan is figuring out how to approach and spark in interest in those who need immune care, especially those with low health awareness.
That’s why we launched Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Good Sleep Plus and Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Visceral Fat Down in the aim of developing immune care habits while tackling the tangible needs related to the health issues of sleep and visceral fat.
Actually, lack of sleep and increased visceral fat can raise the risk of decreased immune function. We aimed to help more consumers understand the necessity of immune care by raising awareness of the importance of double care. As a result, we received high praise from consumers, and through trial purchases, sales of Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Good Sleep Plus and Kirin iMUSE Immune Care Visceral Fat Down achieved approximately 170% and 230% of our 2022 targets, respectively. I truly feel we were able to contribute to the expansion of the consumer base in our aim to create immune care habits.