Differentiated Technology in Milk and Fermented Milk: HY Ranks First for 28 Consecutive Years

Aligning with the 'Healthy Pleasure' Trend
Pursuing Annual Sugar Reduction of 1,600 Tons
No. 1 in Parcel and Courier Industry: Korea Post Headquarters
No. 1 in Commercial Banking: KB Kookmin Bank

HY has ranked first in the milk and fermented milk category in the 2025 National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) survey, organized by the Korea Productivity Center. This marks the 28th consecutive year at the top. HY cited its differentiated technological capabilities and high customer trust as the key factors behind this achievement. Since establishing its corporate research institute in 1976, HY has focused on probiotic research and development for over 50 years. Ninety percent of its research staff hold master's or doctoral degrees, and the more than 5,000 strains collected from around the world are considered HY’s core assets. Currently, HY possesses a library of over 5,100 probiotic strains, more than 120 patents, and numerous individually recognized strains.

Researchers are working at the HY Institute. HY

The company is also responding swiftly to changing consumer trends. Recently, it has focused on developing products with reduced sugar, fat, and additives to align with the 'healthy pleasure' trend, which seeks both health and enjoyment. HY is working to reduce annual sugar content by 1,600 tons. A leading product in the sugar-free fermented milk market is 'Yakult XO.' By applying its proprietary fermentation technology, HY has reduced both sugar and fat content to 0%, and with a low-calorie design of just 10 kcal per 100 ml, the product is praised for balancing health and taste.

The functional products that HY has consistently introduced also showcase its technological prowess. The new lineup 'Will Peony' under the flagship brand 'Will' contains peony extract, which helps protect the gastric mucosa. Peony extract is an ingredient developed through nine years of joint research with natural product specialist NewMed, and its effectiveness in alleviating stomach discomfort has been confirmed through human application trials.

Korea Post Headquarters has secured the top spot in the NCSI for the parcel and courier industry. Korea Post’s parcel service ensures uniform rates and stable quality across all regions, including rural, fishing, island, and mountainous areas. In particular, to meet the growing demand from younger customers for sending smaller items, Korea Post recently introduced the 'size 0' parcel box, which can hold a single book, thereby focusing on creating a more convenient user environment. Parcels using the size 0 box can be easily pre-registered and dropped into any of the 7,000 mailboxes nationwide, with 24/7, year-round service.

A customer is putting a post office parcel box size '0' into a mailbox. Korea Post Headquarters

Additionally, Korea Post’s parcel service maintains the highest level of next-day delivery rates and return collection rates, while transportation accident rates remain at the lowest level. Customers receive real-time updates throughout the entire delivery process. Notifications of scheduled and completed deliveries are sent through various channels, including PostTalk within the Korea Post app, KakaoTalk, Naver TalkTalk, and SMS. Customers can also change the delivery location in advance using the dedicated Korea Post app, a customized service in response to the increasing number of single-person households. Korea Post also operates a postal customer center that provides one-stop parcel registration and compensation consultation. Approximately 240 consultants work there, handling an average of 24,000 customer inquiries per day.

KB Kookmin Bank ranked first in the NCSI among commercial banks. The bank received high marks for its customer-centric innovation of in-person channels, such as expanding its 'Lunchtime Intensive Consultation' branches to 32 locations nationwide. Lunchtime Intensive Consultation is a system in which all staff at personal comprehensive counters work from noon to 1 p.m. to ensure fast and efficient work processing during lunchtime.

KB Kookmin Bank Lunchtime Intensive Consultation

The bank also operates the 'Help Dream Counter' to improve accessibility and convenience for financially vulnerable groups. Customers aged 65 and older, people with disabilities, and those accompanied by infants and young children receive priority guidance and support when visiting branches or using counters. To combat the rise in voice phishing crimes and minimize customer losses, KB Kookmin Bank has strengthened its 'Voice Phishing Prevention' system. The number of monitoring personnel has increased from 11 to 25, allowing for more detailed analysis of crime patterns. The bank is also advancing its artificial intelligence (AI)-based system to detect suspicious transactions early and implement rapid preventive measures, such as account payment suspensions.

The bank has also established a new consumer protection value system. This is to protect consumer rights, address information imbalances, and create a fair and trustworthy financial environment. The main initiatives include setting consumer protection as the top priority throughout the entire process-from product sourcing and planning to sales and after-sales management-and building a system that continuously reflects customer feedback.