Danone facts for kids
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Danone head office in Paris, July 2010
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| Société anonyme | |
| Traded as | Euronext Paris: BN CAC 40 Component |
| Industry | Food processing |
| Founded | Barcelona, Spain (1919) |
| Founder | Isaac Carasso |
| Headquarters | Boulevard Haussmann 9th arrondissement, Paris, France (Operational) Hoofddorp, Netherlands (Global) |
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Area served
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Worldwide |
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Key people
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Franck Riboud (Honorary Chairman) Gilles Schnepp (Chairman) Antoine Bernard de Saint-Affrique (CEO) |
| Products |
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| Brands | Main brands |
| Revenue |  €27.619 billion (2023) |
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Operating income
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€3.481 billion (2023) |
 €881 million (2023) |
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| Total assets | €44.486 billion (2023) |
| Total equity | €16.176 billion (2023) |
| Owners |
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Number of employees
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96,000+ (2023) |
| Subsidiaries | Danone North America |
Danone S.A. is a big French company that makes food products. It started in 1919 in Barcelona, Spain. Today, its main office is in Paris, France. You might know some of its products like yogurt, bottled water, and baby food. In the United States, some Danone products are sold under the name Dannon.
Danone sells its products in many countries around the world. In 2018, it sold products in 120 different markets. A large part of its sales comes from dairy and plant-based products, including yogurt.
Contents
History of Danone
How Danone Got Its Name
Danone was started by a doctor named Isaac Carasso. He was born in a place called Thessaloniki. In 1919, he began making yogurt in Barcelona, Spain. He named the brand "Danone" after his son, Daniel. "Danone" means "little Daniel" in Catalan.
In 1929, Isaac Carasso moved the company to France. He opened a factory in Paris. Later, in 1942, Daniel Carasso moved the business to New York in the United States. There, he changed the brand name to Dannon. This made it sound more American.
Daniel Carasso returned to Paris in 1951 to manage the family businesses in Europe. The American Dannon business was sold, but Danone bought it back in 1981. In Europe, Danone joined with Gervais, a big cheese maker, in 1967. They became Gervais Danone.
In 1973, the company joined with BSN, a large bottle-making company. BSN also owned famous brands like Evian water and Kronenbourg beer. The company changed its name to Groupe Danone in 1983.
Changing Focus (1970s–2000s)
Danone started to focus on certain types of products. They bought companies that made biscuits, like the LU brand. They also sold off parts of their business that didn't fit their new focus. For example, they sold their glass-making business.
In 1994, the company officially changed its name to Groupe Danone. This was because Danone was their most famous international brand. In 1996, Franck Riboud took over as the company's leader from his father. He continued to focus on three main areas: dairy, drinks, and cereals.
Around the year 2000, Danone sold most of its beer businesses. They also sold their Italian cheese and meat businesses. In 2004, they sold their biscuit operations in the UK and Ireland. Even with these sales, Danone kept growing worldwide. They focused on products that help with health and well-being.
In 2007, Danone sold most of its biscuit division to Kraft Foods. This included popular brands like LU and Prince. In the same year, Danone also bought Numico. Numico was a Dutch company that made baby food and special nutrition products. This made Danone the second-largest baby food maker in the world.
Danone Today (2010–Present)
In 2009, the company simply changed its name to Danone. In 2010, Danone expanded into Russia by buying parts of a company called Unimilk. This made Danone a top dairy company in that region. They also bought nutrition businesses in India in 2012.
Danone has also grown in Africa. They bought shares in companies like Centrale Danone in Morocco and Fan Milk in West Africa. In 2014, Emmanuel Faber became the CEO of Danone.
By 2016, Danone was in 130 markets. More than half of its sales came from developing countries. In 2015, fresh dairy products made up half of the company's sales. Baby food and bottled water were also big parts of their business.
In 2018, Danone changed the name of its DanoneWave part of the company to Danone North America. This happened after they bought WhiteWave Foods in 2017. In 2020, Danone announced plans to reduce some jobs as part of a reorganization.
In 2023, Danone invested in a company that makes cell-based dairy products in Israel. Also in 2023, Danone's business in Russia faced changes. The Russian government took control of Danone's operations there for a time. This happened after the conflict in Ukraine. In early 2024, the temporary control was ended, allowing for a possible sale of the unit.
How Danone is Managed
Main Office
Danone's main office has been in Paris, France, since 2002.
Leaders and Board
Danone is led by a CEO and a chairman. They also have a board of directors. These people help make important decisions for the company.
Main Brands You Might Know
Danone has many brands. Some are known all over the world, and some are popular in specific countries.
- International brands include: Activia, Actimel, Alpro, Oikos, Aptamil, Danette, Danimals, Danio, Dannon, Danonino, Evian, Nutricia, Nutrilon, and Volvic.
- Local or regional brands include: AQUA (Indonesia), Blédina (France), Bonafont (Mexico and Brazil), Cow & Gate (UK), Happy Family (USA), Horizon Organic (USA), Mizone (China and Indonesia), Prostokvashino (Russia), Silk (USA), and Damavand (Iran).
Who Owns Danone?
Many different investors own parts of Danone. About 43% of the company is owned by investors from America. French investors own 19%, and others are from the UK, Switzerland, Germany, and other European countries.
Working Together: Joint Ventures
Danone often works with other companies in what are called "joint ventures." This helps them grow, especially in fast-growing markets.
- In Saudi Arabia, Danone has a joint venture with Al Safi (since 2001).
- They work with Yakult in India (since 2005) and Vietnam (since 2006).
- In Colombia, they partnered with Alquería (since 2007).
- In China, they have worked with Mengniu (since 2013–2014).
Australia
Danone Murray Goulburn is a partnership in Australia. It works with Saputo Dairy Australia to sell yogurt and other fresh dairy products. These products are made in Victoria and sold across Australia.
Bangladesh
In 2006, Danone and the Grameen Bank started a company called Grameen Danone Foods in Bangladesh. This is a "social business." It means they focus on helping people, not just making money.
Grameen Danone Foods makes a special yogurt called Shokti Doi. This yogurt has protein, vitamins, and other important nutrients. It helps children in Bangladesh get the nutrition they need. The yogurt is sold at a very low price so that even the poorest families can afford it. Any money the company earns is used to help the business grow and reach more people.
India
Danone started its nutrition business in India in 2012. They offer special products for different ages, like pregnant women, babies, young children, and adults. Some of their brands in India include Aptamil, Protinex, and Dexolac.
Israel
In 1996, Danone agreed to buy 20% of the Strauss Group. Strauss Group is a big food maker in Israel. Danone and Strauss Dairies have worked together since the 1970s.
China
China is one of Danone's most important markets. Danone has invested in China since 1987.
Bright Dairy
In 2001, Danone bought a small part of Bright Dairy. Over the years, they increased their share to 20%. Later, Danone decided to sell its shares in Bright Dairy.
Wahaha
Danone and the Hangzhou Wahaha Group started a joint company in 1996. This company made dairy products. However, they later had a disagreement about other businesses that used the Wahaha brand. In 2009, they reached an agreement. Danone sold its shares in the joint company to its Chinese partner.
Mengniu
In 2013, Danone invested in Mengniu, which is a top dairy company in China. Danone later increased its ownership in Mengniu. They also created a new joint company with Mengniu to make fresh dairy products.
Russia
In 2010, Danone joined with Unimilk, a big milk producer in Russia. They combined their fresh dairy product businesses in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. This made them the number one dairy company in that area. Russia became one of Danone's most important markets.
In 2022, Danone announced that it would transfer its Russian business to new owners. In July 2023, the Russian government took temporary control of Danone's shares in Russia. Danone has set aside money to cover the loss from its Russian business.
Africa
Danone has also grown its business in Africa.
- In 2012, Danone increased its ownership in Centrale Laitière in Morocco. They have worked with this company since 1953.
- In 2013, Danone teamed up with another group to buy FanMilk International. FanMilk makes frozen dairy products and juices in several West African countries.
- In 2014, Danone bought a part of Kenya's Brookside, which is a leading dairy group in East Africa.
Philippines
In 2014, Danone partnered with Universal Robina to start a beverage business in the Philippines.
Danone's Social Responsibility
Danone has special programs to help communities and the environment.
- danone.communities was started in 2007 to help fund social businesses.
- The Danone Ecosystem Fund was created in 2009. It supports Danone's partners, like farmers and suppliers.
- Livelihoods was started in 2011. It helps fund projects that protect the environment.
These programs were inspired by a speech given by a former CEO, Antoine Riboud, in 1972. He said that companies should not just focus on making money. They should also care about people and the environment. This idea led to Danone's goal of having both economic and social success.
Danone Institute: Learning About Nutrition
The Danone Institute is a group that does not aim to make a profit. Its goal is to help people learn more about nutrition, diet, and public health. One of its main aims is to share nutrition knowledge with doctors, teachers, and parents.
The first Danone Institute was set up in Paris, France, in 1991. It officially became a non-profit group in 1997. Nutrition experts and Danone leaders guide the institute.
Danone Institutes Around the World
By 2007, Danone had set up 18 institutes in different countries. These institutes create programs to help with local health issues. They are in places like Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, and the United States.
These local institutes work together under the Danone Institute International. This international group helps them share knowledge and work together. Over 200 nutrition experts are part of this worldwide network.
Each institute has a board of directors and a scientific council. These groups decide what programs to run. For example, the Czech Danone Institute gives money to support research and education in nutrition.
Local Danone Institutes do many things, including:
- Supporting research with scholarships and awards.
- Publishing research findings about health and nutrition.
- Organizing scientific meetings.
- Creating newsletters and books for professionals.
- Holding workshops and training for health care workers.
- Making educational materials like booklets and TV shows for parents and children.
- Sharing knowledge with the public.
The Danone Institutes are non-profit groups. They work with well-known scientists from universities and research centers. Since 1991, they have given out many awards and funded hundreds of research projects. They have also organized many educational programs and meetings.
Danone Institute International
The Danone Institute International was created in 2004. It brings together all the Danone Institutes from around the world. Its goal is to create big international programs. It also helps local institutes share what they learn. This group helps scientists work together and share ideas.
The Danone Institute International is a non-profit group. It helps share information about how diet, nutrition, and health are connected. It has over 220 scientific experts. These experts come from different fields like nutrition, medicine, and psychology.
The Danone Institute International publishes information and supports research. It also organizes international meetings for scientists.
Danone International Prize for Nutrition
The Danone International Prize for Nutrition is a special award. It was started in 1997 by the Danone Institute International. This prize is given every two years to people or teams who have made big discoveries in human nutrition science.
The prize encourages more research in nutrition. It also helps people understand how important nutrition is. This award is one of the most respected in nutrition research. Many top scientists have received it.
The prize is worth €120,000. It is given out every two years. A group of judges, including scientists, chooses the winner. The winner must be working at a non-profit organization and actively doing research.
Recent Prize Winners:
- 2016: Philip Calder, for his work on nutrition and how it affects our body's defenses.
- 2013: Gökhan S. Hotamisligil, for his research on how our body's defenses are linked to diseases.
- 2011: Jeffery I. Gordon, for his work on how the tiny living things in our gut affect our diet and health.
- 2009: Johan Auwerx, for his research on how food affects our cells.
- 2007: Jeffrey M. Friedman, for his research on how our genes and a hormone called leptin control our body weight.
In 2018, this prize was renamed the Danone International Prize for Alimentation.
Global Summit on Yogurt and Health
In 2012, the Danone Institute International worked with the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). They organized a group to study how yogurt affects health. They shared their findings with health experts and the public. A year later, they launched the first global meeting about the health effects of yogurt.
This meeting helps experts discuss what science says about eating yogurt and public health. The first meeting was in 2013 in Boston. Since then, these meetings have been held every year.
Yogurt in Nutrition Initiative
In 2013, the Danone Institute International, the American Society for Nutrition (ASN), and the Nutrition Society (NS) started the Yogurt in Nutrition Initiative. This program looks at how yogurt affects health. It encourages research on yogurt as part of a healthy diet. It also shares scientific information with health care professionals and the public.
Through this project, the Danone Institute International plans to hold conferences worldwide. These conferences share what researchers have found. Since 2013, they have co-organized the Global Summit on the Health Effects of Yogurt every year.
The Danone Institute International also gives out the Yogurt in Nutrition Award. This award is worth US$30,000. It supports projects that study how yogurt can help prevent and manage diseases. It funds research for two years and recognizes individuals or teams from public organizations, universities, or hospitals.
Images for kids
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Yogurt parfait
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Yogurt parfait
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Natillas
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Yogurt with confections (Japan)
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Silk oat milk
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See also
In Spanish: Grupo Danone para niños
