Core Insights - Yakult Honsha has established a European R&D unit in the Netherlands with an investment of €3.7 million ($4.3 million) to serve as a global hub for food innovation [1][2] - The new R&D center aims to address diverse consumer needs and regulatory requirements while contributing to health and wellbeing [2] - The initiative is expected to enhance product development capabilities and explore new value creation opportunities for future business growth [3] Company Developments - The R&D unit was officially founded on September 19 and is located on Wageningen Campus, which is associated with Wageningen University & Research, a leading institution in life sciences [2] - Yakult plans to merge its Austrian branch with Yakult Oesterreich, a wholly owned subsidiary, effective October 1 [4] - The company closed a factory in China last year to improve competitiveness in the local market [4] Financial Performance - For the fiscal year 2024, Yakult's net sales decreased by 0.7% to ¥499.6 billion ($3.3 billion) [4] - Operating profit fell by 12.6% to ¥55.3 billion, and profit attributable to owners declined by 10.7% to ¥45.5 billion [5] - In the first quarter of the new financial year, net sales dropped by 4.9% to ¥116.6 billion, with operating profit slumping by 32.2% to ¥10.9 billion [5]