Danone has announced that it will invest €70 million in a medical nutrition production line in Stefanvoord, France, to strengthen its specialised nutrition business.
Danone said the Steenvoorde plant will be able to produce up to 20 million litres per year from 2026, producing oral nutritional supplements developed to meet global health and patient needs.
The bulk of the investment, around 60 million euros, will be used to develop nearly 30 recipes for Danone’s oral nutritional supplements for patients, based on French food giant Nutricia’s specialized nutritional range.
“Innovation and investment”
“As people grow, age and face health challenges, their nutritional needs change. At Danone, we believe we have a responsibility to help people live as healthily as possible across generations. ” said Danone CEO Antoine de Saint-Afrique.
“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. is also consistent with our Renew Danone strategy and demonstrates our commitment to accelerate our efforts to meet healthcare demands and serve more patients. The purpose is ”
The facility’s results will help provide “better outcomes and quality of life” for patients suffering from disease-related malnutrition, the company added.
According to the company, disease-related malnutrition due to conditions such as cancer or stroke, or due to ageing, affects one in four hospitalized patients, yet only one in three patients who require medical nutrition actually receive nutritional support.
New biomass boiler
In addition to the production line, Danone will invest €10 million in new infrastructure at the Steenvoorde plant, including a biomass boiler.
The boiler will reduce the facility’s carbon footprint by nearly 70%, in line with Danone Impact Journey efforts, and is supported by the Re-Fuel energy excellence programme.
