The Japanese company “Meiji” will begin production of a new dairy product with Bulgarian starter culture under license from “El Bi Bulgaricum.” This was stated at a meeting in Sofia between representatives of the two companies, which discussed the successful licensing activity of El Bi and “Meiji” (Meiji), the state milk processing company announced.
The talks were attended by the executive director of “El Bi Bulgaricum” Nikolai Stoynev, the head of the Research Center, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Svetlana Minkova, as well as other company representatives. From the Japanese side, Daishi Aladji, Yusuke Sugala, and Takahiro Sakurai, part of the “Yogurt” team, spoke.
The new product will be a milk drink with attractive packaging, aimed primarily at young adult consumers. It will be launched on the Japanese market in three variants: natural drinking yogurt, drinking yogurt with blueberry flavor, and drinking yogurt with strawberry flavor. The production of the new product begins after extensive research into the preferences of the youth audience, and its launch on the market will be accompanied by a wide advertising campaign with the participation of celebrities.
Currently, “Meiji” produces yogurt with the name of Bulgaria under license from “El Bi Bulgaricum.” The product has been on the Japanese market for more than 50 years, and the brand has over 30 million users. The new dairy product will join the wide range of dairy products produced under the “Bulgaria” brand and will be named Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt Drink ONE SHOT.
“The new product is a natural continuation of our successful partnership with “Meiji” and is proof of the mutual desire to expand the range of products produced under Bulgarian license. We are glad that together with “Meiji” we continue to establish the name of Bulgaria as a symbol of quality and healthy eating,” commented the head of the Scientific Center, Assoc. Prof. Minkova.
In December last year, the economic department announced that the joint research laboratory of “El Bi Bulgaricum" and the Japanese “Meiji" is expected to be opened in mid-2026 in Sofia, and its main goal will be to study the benefits and prove the qualities of traditional Bulgarian yogurt. This became known during a meeting of the Minister of Economy and Industry in resignation, Petar Dilov, with the executive director of international relations of “Meiji” Hideki Morita and a delegation from the Japanese corporation led by him.