Danone has announced an investment of €70 million in a medical nutrition production line in Steenvoorde, France, as it seeks to boost its Specialised Nutrition business.
The Steenvoorde will be capable of producing up to 20 million litres of oral nutrition supplements per annum from 2026, Danone said, and has been developed in response to global health and patient needs.
The majority of the investment, around €60 million, will be used to develop close to 30 recipes of Danone’s oral nutritional supplement for patients, under the French food giant's Nutricia specialised nutrition range.
'Innovating And Investing'
“Nutritional needs change as people grow, age and face health challenges, and at Danone, we believe that we have a responsibility to help generations live as healthily as possible," commented Antoine de Saint-Affrique, CEO of Danone.
"We are continually innovating, investing and utilising our 125 years of expertise to develop products that are adapted to the growing nutritional needs of millions of patients around the world. This investment is also in line with our Renew Danone strategy and shows our commitment to accelerating our adult medical nutrition product offering to meet healthcare demands and serve more patients.”
The facility's output will help deliver 'better outcomes and quality of life' for patients who suffer from disease related malnutrition, the company added.
According to the company, disease-related malnutrition, as a result of conditions such as cancer or strokes, or due to ageing, affects one in four patients that are admitted to hospital, however only one in three who need medical nutrition receive it.
New Biomass Boiler
In addition to the production line, Danone will invest €10 million in new infrastructure at the Steenvoorde site, including a biomass boiler.
This boiler will reduce the site's carbon footprint by nearly 70%, aligning with Danone Impact Journey commitments and supported by its Re-Fuel energy excellence programme.
