Yuhan Corporation has officially launched its blood sugar management probiotic in the Mexican market, signaling a major push into the Latin American health supplement industry. The product is marketed locally as Glucobiotic.
Mexico is widely regarded as one of Latin America’s premier health supplement markets. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports that as of 2024, about 16.4% of Mexican adults (aged 20-79) have diabetes, a figure that ranks high on the global scale.
Yuhan Corporation has inked a five-year supply agreement worth approximately 13 billion KRW (about 9 million USD) with a local Mexican partner, having completed the product registration process in 2025. The two firms are set to roll out a comprehensive marketing strategy, including local clinical trials, to target various distribution channels across Mexico, both online and offline.
Glucobiotic is a specialized probiotic developed after more than a decade of research, featuring the Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HAC01 strain as its key ingredient. This particular strain of L. plantarum has been the subject of extensive research for its potential benefits in gut health and metabolic improvement.
The HAC01 strain made history in South Korea as the first to receive official recognition from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its ability to lower post-meal blood sugar levels. Human clinical trials demonstrated statistically significant reductions in both hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and two-hour postprandial blood glucose levels after eight weeks of consumption.
Since its domestic launch in April 2023, the product has generated cumulative sales of approximately 60 billion KRW (about 41.5 million USD) over three years, underscoring its market success and consumer confidence. The product’s excellence has been further validated by multiple accolades, including the 2023 Patent Technology Award, the 2024 NutraIngredients Asia Ingredient Award, and the prestigious 2025 IR52 Jang Young-sil Award.
A spokesperson for Yuhan Corporation stated that Mexico stands out in Latin America due to its high diabetes prevalence and rapidly expanding health supplement market. It aims to leverage Glucobiotic’s unique blood sugar management properties to broaden the consumer base and use this as a springboard for expansion throughout the Latin American region.
