Danone

Danone is a global leader in bringing health through food, built on four businesses: Essential Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Waters, Early Life Nutrition and Medical Nutrition.

Sector

Consumer goods

Shareholding percentage

0.3%

Sales on 31/12/2020

EUR 23.6 bn

Employees

+100,000

Percentage of sales in emerging markets

43%

With a portfolio of brands that includes evian, Nutrilon, Activia, Alpro and Mizone, Danone has become the world leader in health nutrition. Danone is a global group with nearly half of its sales in emerging markets. Danone increases Sofina’s exposure to the growth in consumption by the middle class in these economies (Asia in particular). Since acquiring WhiteWave, the group has benefited from the new trends in vegetable protein consumption, which complements its uniquely broad coverage of product categories.

Finally, with its Manifesto and its gradual conversion into B CorpTM, Danone is at the forefront of the societal project which aims, in addition to creating profit, to bring meaning to business activities and to have a positive impact on the physical and human environment.

Investment history


France | 1987

The company is based in Paris. Sofina’s first investment in Danone dates back to April 1987. Since then, Sofina has carried out various transactions: sales and acquisitions of shares, share subscriptions and dividend conversions. Sofina supported Danone’s first steps in Asia through its direct participation in its local subsidiary.

Sofina was represented on the board of directors until 2015 and maintains strong relations with the management.