Nestlé probiotic drink to go

Nestlé has pulled its probiotic LC1 Go! live yoghurt drink from the supermarket shelves less than three years after it was launched with a £2m TV ad campaign, Marketing Online reports. The launch of LC1 Go!, a citrus-flavoured low-fat dairy drink fermented with Nestlé's​ probiotic culture, had been labelled as the company's belated answer to the fast-growing demand for single-dose bottles of live, friendly bacteria that help the body's digestive system. Japanese-owned Yakult​ massively influenced the growth of live bacteria foodstuffs when it was launched onto the market, now worth £45m, in 1996. Two years later, Danone​ launched Actimel and Nestlé launched LC1 Go! But while Actimel flourished, and now sells almost as well as Yakult, Go! struggled to make an impact and had just 5 per cent market share in 2000, despite its lower price, the report continues. Go! was part of a range that included LC1 set yoghurt, which has been withdrawn from the UK for a second time. It was introduced in 1996, then removed a year later after disappointing sales. It was relaunched in 1998. A Nestlé spokesman said the LC1 range was well-received at launch, but added that distribution proved "difficult to gain and maintain in the face of strongcompetitive pressure",​ although the company will continue to invest in the development of functional and nutritional foods.