Danone announced that it will invest €70 million in France’s first production line dedicated to medical nutrition.
The majority of the investment (60 million euros) will be used to produce approximately 30 recipes for oral nutritional supplements for patients in Danone’s Nutricia range of specialty nutritional products.
The facility in Steenvoorde will provide approximately 20 million liters of medical nutrition per year, contributing to improved outcomes and quality of life for patients suffering from malnutrition associated with diseases such as cancer.
Danone CEO Antoine de Saint-Afrique commented: “As people grow, age and face health challenges, their nutritional needs change. At Danone, we believe we have a responsibility to help generations live as healthily as possible. We continually innovate, invest and leverage our 125 years of expertise to develop products that meet the growing nutritional needs of millions of patients around the world. The investment is also consistent with our Renewdanone strategy and demonstrates our commitment to accelerating our offering of adult medical nutrition products to meet medical demand and serve more patients.”
Malnutrition, either as a result of conditions such as cancer or stroke, or related to age-related illnesses, affects one in four hospitalized patients, but only 1 in 4 hospitalized patients receives medical nutrition. Only one in three people receive it. for these patients, even though it may play a role in improving outcomes. The need for medical nutritional products is expected to increase as chronic diseases and the aging population increase.
To meet these needs and serve as many patients as possible, Danone will continue to invest in its medical nutrition portfolio and further expand its manufacturing capacity.
In addition to Steenvoorde, recent investments include:
- In 2023, new production lines will be set up at Danone’s site in Lüleburgaz, Turkey, and at its site in Opole, Poland, strengthening its industrial capabilities in the field of medical nutrition.
- The acquisition of Functional Formularies in the US in May 2024 strengthened Danone’s medical nutrition portfolio and expanded its range of food-based tube feedings.
In addition to the production line, Danone will invest €10 million in new equipment at the Steenvoorde plant, including a biomass boiler. The boiler, in line with Danone’s Impact Journey initiative and enabled by the energy excellence program ‘Re-Fuel’, will reduce the factory’s carbon footprint by around 70%.
The Steenvoorde factory has been producing Danone products for the past 110 years. The company’s current focus is on producing Danone’s specialized nutritional products for early childhood, including the Galia and Bredina brands. To prepare for the new production line in medical nutrition, 430 Steenvoorde employees will participate in a reskilling and upskilling program.
Building on its 125 years of experience in medical nutrition, Danone continually conducts important research and innovation projects. As one of the first pioneers in medical nutrition, the company invests in research into specific nutritional needs related to health conditions and diseases, and develops evidence-based products to meet patients’ needs. A recent example is the launch of Danone’s first product in the Special Medical Foods for Adults category in China, designed to meet the nutritional needs of Chinese patients recovering from surgery and illnesses such as cancer and stroke.
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