Danone Strengthens Probiotic Business
Danone has signed exclusive 10 years licence agreements with Probi, providing the French food and beverage giant with exclusive rights to use the Swedish probiotic research company’s Lp299 technology in probiotic fruit drinks and fruit juices for gut health outside North America. Danone is also acquiring a 51% stake in the ProViva probiotic digestive health brand from Swedish dairy company Skanemejerier.
ProViva was the world’s first probiotic fruit drink for digestive health and remains the brand leader. Danone’s Activia yogurt is the biggest digestive health yogurt brand in the world.
“Danone is one of the most successful healthy food companies in the world and is better placed than anyone else to replicate the success of ProViva in Sweden in other parts of the world,” says Micheal Oredsson, chief executive of Probi.
Danone’s current interest in developing probiotic fruit drinks and fruit juices follows its recent global joint venture with global fruit producer Chiquita.
