Danone has announced the inauguration of a new plant-based production facility, in Villecomtal-sur-Arros in southwestern France.
The inauguration took place at an event attended by French officials and Danone employees, along with CEO Antoine de Saint-Affrique.
The French food group said the site’s conversion to plant-based makes it a new reference point in Europe for the production of oat-based drinks for the Alpro brand.
'Historical Presence'
“We’re a multi-local company, which means our strength and our future lie in our employees and our historical presence in local communities," said Yann Le Roy, operations manager at Danone France.
"Today we’re proud to open a new production site for plant-based beverages. Making these products in France gives us a unique position in this market."
Capital Investment
The Villecomtal-sur-Arros facility serves markets across Europe.
The transformation of the facility took nearly two years and called for a capital investment of €7 million.
The site is now home to Danone France’s only oat-flour-to-oat-juice production facility.
The plant features two production lines, one operating at high speed. Beverage output is set to reach over 300,000 litres a day for distribution in France and 26 other European markets.
Ninety percent of total production is designated for export, which Danone said makes the site a European showcase for French plant-based products.
Danone Champions Tour
Danone is the partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the site will be the starting point for the Danone Champions Tour.
The corporate relay race, which will feature more than 1,000 runners, will take place on 19 February.
