The present invention relates to a method for the preparation of a fermented milk product comprising Bifidobacteria in combination with lactic acid bacteria of the species Lactococcus lactis, Sterptococcus thermophilus, and/or Lactobacillus bulgaricus. The problem to be solved is to provide a method to improve growth of Bifidobacteria population in milk during the fermentation process for making fermented milk products (e.g. a yogurt) in order to obtain a high cell count of Bifidobacteria in the final product.