Kang Ji-young, a broadcaster and former announcer, serves as the new model for Duolac. [Cell Biotech]
Kang Ji-young, a broadcaster and former announcer, serves as the new model for Duolac. [Cell Biotech]

Cell Biotech, a microbiome specialist, posted strong growth in both sales and operating profit in the second quarter of this year, driven by a buoyant domestic market and expanding overseas exports.

The company announced Friday that its preliminary consolidated results for the second quarter of 2026 showed sales of 15.8 billion won ($11.1 million), operating profit of 1.6 billion won and net profit for the period of 3.6 billion won. Sales rose 32.8 percent year-on-year, while operating profit climbed 28 percent.

For the first half of the year, cumulative sales reached 30.4 billion won and operating profit came in at 4.8 billion won — surging 31.4 percent and 82.6 percent, respectively, from the same period last year, reflecting sharp improvements in both revenue scale and profitability.

The strong results reflect a combination of factors: the domestic success of a new brand campaign launched in May featuring broadcaster Kang Ji-young, and growth in global exports led by the company's patented dual-coating technology. Cell Biotech said its premium marketing strategy — which centers on gut survivability as the core value of active-ingredient delivery and has popularized the concept of "bacteria loss" — translated directly into higher consumer purchases.

Cell Biotech builds brand value on differentiated strain-coating technology while expanding high-margin overseas distribution channels to offset domestic market constraints — a model the company says drives meaningful revenue growth for Korean biotech healthcare firms.

Exports have also shown steady momentum. Over the past 13 years, Cell Biotech has accounted for 268.8 billion won — roughly 50 percent — of the 538.5 billion won in cumulative domestic probiotic exports, cementing its position as South Korea's top probiotic exporter for 13 consecutive years. The company currently ships its Korean-made probiotics to 55 countries, including Denmark, Turkey, Russia and Mexico.

"The strategy of broadening brand touchpoints on the strength of Duolac's differentiated technology has driven our earnings growth," a Cell Biotech official said. "We will continue to expand the competitiveness of Korean probiotics in global markets based on our dual-coating technology."


silverpaper@heraldcorp.com