The electrolyte drink brand was said to have recorded strong performance in both the domestic market and in the Philippines, the company said in its financial results for the first half of 2025.
Growth in the Philippines was said to be driven by new customer acquisition through geographical expansion.
Last month, the company also started the sale of POCARI SWEAT in India via its subsidiary Otsuka Nutraceutical India Private Limited.
Located in Mumbai, the subsidiary was set up last year with a capital of about 3.2bn yen (US$21.7m).
The products sold in India would include 350ml and 500ml PET bottled versions of POCARI SWEAT and are made in Otuka’s subsidiary in Indonesia, also known as PT Amerta Indah Otsuka.
“In India, the health impacts of climate change, causing heavy rainfall and extreme heatwaves, are becoming prominent.
“As the population continues to grow, there is rising demand for safe and comfortable environments for exercise and work, along with a growing need for beverages that support adequate hydration and electrolyte replenishment,” the company said on the launch in India.
The expansion into India follows just three months after the opening of its first POCARI SWEAT production facility in Vietnam in April.
The company has been growing POCARI SWEAT’s geographical footprint amid intensifying competition in China - a market where it has seen record growth as recent as last year.
Fast forward to Q1 this year, the company noted a slowdown of its electrolyte drink business in China amid tougher market competition. Examples of its competitors in China include homegrown firm Chi Forest which sells electrolyte drinks under the brand Alienergy.
Aside from China, the company has also seen a decrease in sales volume in Indonesia in Q2 as a result of slower economic activities in the country.
Overall, POCARI SWEAT’s business, which is categorized under Otsuka Pharma’s “Climate & Environmental Risk” business, saw a year-on-year sales decline of 0.5% to 99.2bn yen (US$673.7m) in the first half of FY2025.
Women’s health business in US driving growth
Despite a slight decline in its flagship electrolyte drink brand, Otsuka Pharma’s overall nutraceutical business saw a revenue increase of 1.6%, largely led by its women’s health and healthier life business in the US.
Otsuka Pharma’s overall nutraceutical business revenue was up 1.6% year-on-year to 276.1bn yen (US$1.9bn) in H1 FY25.
Geographically speaking, revenue from its North American nutraceutical business was up yoy from 118.6bn yen (US$805.5m) to 121bn yen (US$821.8m) in the first half of FY2025 - surpassing its domestic market.
In Japan, revenue from its nutraceutical business climbed from 78.3bn yen (US$531.8m) to 80bn yen (US$543.4m) in the same period.
Aside from “Climate & Environmental Risk”, its nutraceutical business also consist of “women’s health” and “healthier life” business.
Revenue of its “women’s health” business was up 7.8% year-on-year to 29bn yen (US$197m), while “healthier life” business was up 2.3% to 109.7bn yen (US$745.1m) during the first half of FY2025.
Its women’s health supplement brands include Bonafide and EQUELLE, while its healthier life portfolio consists of Nature Made and Calorie Mate.
“By category, growth was centered on ‘Women’s Health’ and ‘Healthier Life’, with Japan and North America leading by region.
“Sales in ‘Women’s Health” increased 7.8% to 29.0 billion yen, driven by enhanced product awareness through aggressive promotional activities of Bonafide, which addresses diversifying needs of women, and steady growth of EQUELLE due to the wide-ranging efforts to provide useful information.
“Sales in ‘Healthier Life’ increased 2.3% to 109.7 billion yen. In the U.S., we have continued consumer-focused promotional activities for Nature Made, leading to its significant growth in e-commerce sales,” said Yuko Makino, Senior Executive Director, CFO and Board Member.
The company has forecasted that its nutraceutical business will bring in a revenue of 567 bn yen (US$3.85bn), which is higher than the previous year, on the back of strong performance in women’s health and supplement, as well as changes in market conditions of POCARI SWEAT in Asia and FOREX impacts.
