A COMPLEX EQUATION

To stay close to seven billion individuals, we need to reconcile:

• food preferences
• culture
• eating habits
• symbolism attached to food (e.g. indulgence and packaging colours)
• objectives associated with eating (e.g. nutrition and pleasure)
• nutritional needs
• financial situations
• buying power

All these criteria are combined differently depending on the geographical regions, and they are constantly changing.

DANONE’S SOLUTION: PRODUCT QUALITY AND INNOVATION

Our rules to make the best products are the same in all countries: improve its taste, texture, recipe, presentation, ingredients and nutritional benefits.

UK BABIES LEARNING TO LOVE VEGETABLES

Early, varied and repeated exposure is the most effective technique for promoting vegetable intake in infants. Only 7% of UK babies taste vegetables as their first foods making it harder for them to enjoy a varied diet in later life.

Cow & Gate Friends is a unique and innovative range designed to make vegetables an essential part of the weaning journey and help little ones learn to love veggies.

Parents begin with the 'Starter Pack', including four single vegetable varieties, cauliflower, pea, carrot and broccoli, introducing babies to their first single vegetable taste.

FORMATS AND PACKAGING

A NEW POT

In the UK, France, Spain and Portugal, a new pot has replaced the one designed in 1978. Its curves and bright colours are a real hit with consumers.

A QUESTION OF CULTURE

Each country has its own preferences.

A brightly coloured product will be attractive in Africa or Thailand. However it won’t appeal to Russians, who prefer the products' original colour.

making NUTRITION fun

Our yogurt drink Actimel is available in fun bottles featuring collectable characters, designed specially for children.

Ready to drink and with key nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, kids can enjoy collecting the different characters, discovering their exciting intergalactic world and joining them on their cosmic adventures.

ATTRACTIVE PRODUCTS

We've introduced new appealing pouches for specialised nutrition paediatric products.

The new pouches, similar in format to many children’s drinks, encourage youngsters to focus more on getting the most out of life, and less on their medical condition. The child-friendly packaging helps patients ‘fit in’ at school and in the playground, helping to ensure better compliance.

Compact sizing

The new 125ml compact formats in the Nutricia range make it easier for elderly or frail patients to get the nutrition they need. Compact offers the same nutrition as the larger 200ml format, but in a smaller volume that’s easier to take and enjoy.

THE SUCCESS STORIES

MIZONE BRAND IN CHINA

2009 : Available in 20 big cities and towns
2012 : Available in 200 big cities and towns

Mizone's market share doubled between 2009 and 2012.

FRESH DAIRY PRODUCTS

In Brazil’s Nordeste region our dairy product availability grew by 24,000 shops over five years.

In 2012, Danone became the market leader.

KNOWING HOW TO ADAPT TO LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES

In hot climates like the African continent, the challenge of temperature has been a powerful incentive for us to create something new. In South Africa, Danone designed ultramel. This is a dairy product with a shelf life of seven months and is now sold in eight countries (mainly Angola).

INDIAN CO-CREATION

The work of the Indian Research & Development department, launched in 2012, relies on a strong connection with local communities, consumers and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs).

This makes it possible to:

• take into account their reactions early on in the product and recipe design process
• quickly find ever more relevant solutions

DANONE ECOSYSTEM FUND AND DANONE COMMUNITIES:

ALTERNATIVE MODELS

The Danone Ecosystem and Communities funds create new solutions to address specific local circumstances. Tailor-made projects have an impact socially and environmentally by involving a large and diverse range of the local population (communities, NGOs, governments, associations).

As an example, in Egypt, the Omda-Sahteen project, which is backed by the Danone Ecosystem Fund in partnership with a local NGO, tackles malnutrition and unemployment by involving the authorities and local population.

Thanks to this project, small local distributors, called 'omdas' are chosen for their dynamism. They can improve their knowledge of management (ensuring the long-term viability of their business, learning to invest, and employing local representatives). Part of the profits generated by this micro-distribution network are reinvested in training women to become health and nutrition ambassadors, called 'ahteens'. They are tasked with informing people about the rules of food safety or the specific needs of children.