Healthcare Business
Mainstay Brands
-
Nutrient and Tonic DrinksYUNKER Series
On the market for more than 60 years, YUNKER is one of Sato Pharmaceutical’s leading brands. The product lineup includes more than 40 health drink varieties, and the brand continues to maintain top market share.
Ichiro Suzuki, a former MLB player, serves as brand ambassador. In 2023, YUNKER KOTEI was released with a strengthened formula to address the fatigue of our increasingly diverse modern society. Our unique formulations based on years of research into herbal medicine support a fulfilling life and overall well-being. -
Medicated Anti-gingivitis ProductACESS Series
ACESS is the first medicated anti-gingivitis product in Japan derived from natural herbs. It contains a blend of three herbs, and clinical tests have confirmed its effectiveness in alleviating the symptoms of periodontal disease. In 2022, we launched the “Medicated ACESS” series of quasi-drugs designed to contribute to people’s oral health through an approach of both preventing periodontal disease and easing the symptoms.
-
Cold MedicineSTONANasal SpraysNAZAL
The STONA series has been well received as a differentiated product offering a symptom-specific lineup and employing quick-dissolving gel capsules.
NAZAL is a nasal spray brand that provides quick relief from painful rhinitis symptoms; it holds the top market share among nasal sprays that relieve runny and stuffy noses. -
Antipyretic AnalgesicRINGL IB
RINGL IB is an antipyretic analgesic effective against menstrual pain, headache, and fever. To address the need for quick pain relief, the active ingredient ibuprofen is dissolved in liquid form in capsules. Its solid efficacy against menstrual pain, headaches and other pain as well as fever has won the support of many users, especially women.
Product Development
-
Switch OTC Drugs
Among ethical drugs prescribed by doctors, Switch OTC drugs are drugs with relatively few side effects and a high level of safety that can be sold as OTC drugs. They are expected to play a major role in the practice of self-medication, not only in improving symptoms, but also in preventing illness and improving quality of life.
Sato is actively promoting the development of Switch OTC drugs, which are expected to have an advantage in the market, and many of the products we have launched to date have captured top market share. -
New Products
We are actively working to strengthen the product lineup of our mainstay brands, while also developing new products that accurately meet the changing needs of consumers. We are also developing products that are easier for consumers to use, not only in terms of product formulation, but also in areas like dosage form and packaging.
We support self-medication through the expansion of a wide range of products. -
Foods with Function Claims
As consumer awareness of health grows, there is an increasing emphasis on efforts to prevent illness in everyday life. Functional foods based on scientific evidence are attracting particular attention, and Sato is focusing on the development of new functional foods.
We support each individual’s self-care and self-medication efforts, from prevention to treatment, through the sale of OTC drugs and Foods with Function Claims.
Cosmetics and New Businesses
-
Designated Quasi-drugsYUNKER ROYAL Series
Products in the YUNKER ROYAL series are designated quasi-drugs, health drinks sold primarily at convenience stores, supermarkets and elsewhere. As with YUNKER, a pharmaceutical product, the series offers a lineup of products tailored to individual consumer needs with our unique blend of crude drugs. We are responding to market needs by introducing not only drinks, but also tablets and granules, as well as new dosage forms such as jelly pouches.
-
Bringing Together a Pharmaceutical Company’s TechnologyEXCELLULA
Based on about 100 years of technology developed by Sato, EXCELLULA is an aging care cosmetic brand created from accumulated research into the mechanisms of aging skin from the perspective of dermatology. It has been highly rated as a highly functional basic skin care product, and going forward we will continue to leverage our unique technology as a pharmaceutical company to respond to the skin concerns of women with our proprietary highly concentrated, highly penetrating formula.
-
URIAGE
SATO Series
URIAGE is a skin care brand from the south of France formulated with water from the Uriage hot springs, which have gushed forth for about 75 years. We launched the URIAGE CICADAILY series in March 2022.
The SATO series was created in 2009 under the concept of “bringing confidence and luster to adult skin.” This aging skin care series employs Sato Pharmaceutical’s formulation technologies that include the extraction and blending of crude drugs, a deep delivery system created from the application of medical technology, and ointment technologies incorporated into a cosmetic. -
Nasal Dilation TapeBreathe Right
Breathe Right strips use elasticity to widen the nostrils and increase airflow. From the moment you stick one on the sides of your nose, breathing becomes easier. The strip reduces snoring caused by nasal congestion to help you sleep comfortably. Because it is a medicine-free solution, a strip can be used while other medication is being taken, and since wearing one does not cause drowsiness, it can be used even while driving.
Marketing
-
An Effective Promotion StrategyUsing Brand Ambassadors
Using former MLB player Ichiro Suzuki as the face of the YUNKER brand, we are working to expand the number of customers. The STONA brand ambassador is figure skater Mao Asada, while ACESS is represented by Shunputei Shota, a traditional storyteller, and actor Nao Matsushita is the face of EXCELLULA. Our goal is to expand recognition and increase market share through the use of television commercials.
-
Working to Enhance Consumer Brand Recognition Through BaseballStadium Signage Advertising and Sponsorship of Sports Events
Through the holding of annual promotional events for our YUNKER brand at the Tokyo Dome stadium, as well as sponsorship of sporting events such as the Naha Marathon (in Okinawa) and golf tournaments, besides marketing YUNKER, our key product line, and other Sato Pharmaceutical brands, we are also aiming to strengthen public awareness of Sato as a company that contributes towards enhancing human health and provides support for self-medication.
-
Supporting Retail ManagementThrough Seminars and Symposia
Sato holds seminars and symposia nationwide for pharmacists and drugstore staff, providing useful information on new products and industry trends. This ongoing series includes the Sato Drug Store Conference, for drugstore managers, and the Sato Symposium for pharmacy and drugstore managers. As part of our support for retail management, lectures are also conducted by experts from Japan and overseas.
