Danone, Chr Hansen Join Forces in plant-based innovation through Partner for Growth initiative
USA – Leading dairy company Danone has embarked on a transformative journey by initiating its ‘Partner for Growth’ program, a collaboration with various private sector enterprises spanning multiple sectors.
The innovative endeavour aims to drive sustainable growth through strategic partnerships.
Among the first of these partnerships, Danone has forged a dynamic alliance with bioscience firm Chr Hansen, focusing on pioneering developments in both dairy and plant-based products.
Under the aegis of Danone Manifesto Ventures, the corporate venture arm of Danone, the company is poised to enhance its existing relationships while actively seeking out new opportunities.
The inaugural partnership within this initiative will see Danone collaborating with Danish ingredients provider Chr Hansen, harnessing the power of bioscience solutions to drive innovation in dairy and plant-based product segments.
At the forefront of their agenda is the pursuit of heightened functionality to enhance consumer health. To facilitate this, Danone will supply Chr Hansen with its extensive repository of 1800 strains of ferments, facilitating research advances in the gut microbiome.
This partnership is expected to deliver groundbreaking advancements in both product quality and consumer wellness.
However, the ‘Partner for Growth’ program extends far beyond this singular collaboration. It encompasses a holistic approach to innovation in science and technology, spanning fields like agriculture, supply chain optimization, asset flexibility, and sustainability.
This multifaceted strategy also seeks to minimize greenhouse gas emissions within Danone’s supply chain, a critical step towards a greener future.
Vikram Agawal, Chief Operations Officer at Danone, emphasized the program’s overarching goal, noting that the Partnership is all about anticipating and seizing opportunities.
“A structured, holistic, and mutually beneficial approach will transform the way we work with partners, enabling us to leverage short-term opportunities while preparing our brands and categories for sustainable, long-term growth,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Danone has also entered into a significant joint business development plan with professional services firm Genpact.
This strategic collaboration will empower both companies to co-innovate at scale by deploying digital technologies across their supply chains, thereby enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Danone’s commitment to partnerships extends to the agricultural sector, as evidenced by its collaboration with McCarthy Family Farms to advance regenerative agriculture practices.
Furthermore, Danone has recognized and celebrated fruitful collaborations, including their partnership with dairy producer Arla Food, vital for supplying speciality dairy ingredients crucial to products like HiPro and YoPro.
The company also joined forces with Circulate Capital to boost plastic collection efforts, yielding successful projects in Asia and Latin America, addressing the global plastic pollution problem.
“Since its origins, Danone has innovated with others to bring consumers and patients healthy food and water, fueled by over a century of groundbreaking nutrition, hydration, and fermentation research,” Isabelle Esser, Chief Research, Innovation, Quality, and Food Safety Officer at Danone noted.
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