Danone Manifesto Ventures, the corporate venture arm of leading dairy company Danone, is actively seeking new partnerships and strengthening existing ones in the food and beverage industry. As part of its “Partner for Growth” initiative, Danone has partnered with Danish ingredients supplier Chr Hansen to drive innovation in dairy and plant-based products, leveraging Chr Hansen’s bioscience solutions. Together, they will focus on enhancing the functionality of these products to improve consumer health. Additionally, Danone will contribute its extensive collection of 1800 strains of ferments to advance research on the gut microbiome.
The broader “Partner for Growth” program aims to foster innovation in science and technology across various areas, such as agriculture and supply chain efficiency. By harnessing technology and reducing waste, Danone aims to decrease costs in its supply chain while also making its assets more flexible and streamlined. Sustainability is also a key focus, with Danone working towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions in its supply chain.
Vikram Agawal, Danone’s chief operations officer, states that the purpose of the “Partner for Growth” initiative is to anticipate and seize opportunities, working holistically with partners to achieve sustainable growth. Rather than following a traditional linear approach, Danone aims to leverage its supplier and partner ecosystem to drive shared business growth, stay ahead of emerging trends, and better serve its customers and consumers.
One significant partnership is a joint business development plan between Danone and professional services firm Genpact. This collaboration enables co-innovation at scale, utilizing digital technologies throughout the supply chain. Moreover, Danone maintains partnerships with various dairy producers, with a recent event held at its innovation center in Paris Saclay to outline future plans and recognize successful relationships. Notably, Danone collaborates with McCarthy Family Farms to improve regenerative agriculture practices, aligning with its wider regenerative agriculture efforts worldwide.
Recognizing the importance of successful partnerships, Danone acknowledges its collaboration with dairy producer Arla Food, which focuses on supplying specialized dairy ingredients for products like HiPro and YoPro. Additionally, Danone’s partnership with Circulate Capital aims to increase plastic collection, resulting in successful projects in Asia and Latin America.
Looking ahead, Danone also plans to collaborate with educational institutions in pursuit of innovation and superior products for consumers and patients worldwide. Isabelle Esser, chief research, innovation, quality, and food safety officer at Danone, emphasizes the company’s long history of innovative collaborations in providing healthy food and water. By working closely with partners who share their ambition, Danone aims to explore new horizons in product superiority, fermentation technologies, decarbonation, and finding solutions that benefit all stakeholders.
In summary, Danone Manifesto Ventures is actively seeking partnerships to drive innovation and sustainability in the food and beverage industry. By teaming up with industry leaders and utilizing advanced technologies, Danone aims to stay ahead of emerging trends, enhance its supply chain efficiency, and create superior products for consumers.
