Japanese brewer Kirin and functional dairy products group Yakult Honsha have signed an agreement to form a business alliance in Japan centering on health foods and functional foods. The move is a further alliance between the two companies, which began a business collaboration in 2003 to sell each other’s products in their vending machines…As part of the deal, Kirin and Yakult will endeavor to develop next-generation health foods and functional foods.

—Just-food.com, 6/15/05