Meenakshi, one of hundreds of young women who zip around India's dusty streets on scooters promoting the dairy drink Yakult, says health is her best sales pitch. The 22-year-old student knocks on doors two days a week to tell stay-at-home mothers, washing ladies, and residents living in makeshift shacks how Yakult's microbes can help cultivate their "intestinal flora." She gives a short rehearsed speech-the product's 6.5 billion friendly bacteria per bottle help build immunity and protect against constipation, diarrhea, and infections-before passing out corporate leaflets to back up her assertions. "Customers do say their digestive systems have improved," says Meenakshi, who uses one name only. "Regular customers rarely get infections."
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