In September 2022, Danone North America announced a $22 million investment as part of the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health. This event brought together government officials, business leaders and advocates to discuss credible actions that could impact U.S. communities when it comes to hunger, nutrition and physical activity, and closing critical disparities. Shane Grant, Danone Deputy CEO, Americas, EVP Essential Dairy, Plant-Based & Sales, spoke at the Conference as the only representative from a food and beverage manufacturer.
Danone’s commitments serve to help improve food access and affordability, integrate nutrition and health, empower consumers with the knowledge to make healthy choices, and enhance nutrition and food security research. Specifically, we pledged to:
Devote $15 million by 2030 to further nutrition education for consumers and healthcare providers.
Invest $3 million by 2030 to help improve access and affordability of nutrient-dense and health-promoting products, especially for those in underserved communities.
Commit $4 million to help enhance nutrition and food security research through grants, industry collaboration, and non-profit organizations, such as the Danone Institute North America.
Continue to offer low and no sugar options, specifically limiting sugar content in more than 95% of our children's products to less than 10 grams of total sugar per 100 grams of food product by 2030. Also, to increase the nutrient density of more than 70% of our plant-based beverages.
As we approach the second anniversary of this historic commitment, we’re proud to share what we've achieved in the last two years.
Furthering Nutrition Education
In 2023, our Scientific Affairs team and Danimals yogurt business collaborated with approximately 8,000 pediatricians to distribute education materials to patients. These focused on creating balanced meals, engaging children in healthy nutrition choices, reducing food waste, and sharing the nutritional benefits of yogurt. The teams are also translating these educational materials into Spanish to engage registered dietitians who are on the frontlines of nutrition with Hispanic families.
Our Happy Family brand is also prioritizing nutrition education by targeting 3,000 pediatric offices with our parent guide for starting solid foods, available in English and Spanish.
Improving Access and Affordability for Underserved Communities
An update from WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) released in May 2024 expands Danone's portfolio of WIC-eligible yogurts. This increases options and accessibility for mothers and young children to nutrient-dense products like single-serve yogurts and soy yogurt alternatives.
With nearly half of students surveyed from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) saying they consider food insecurity to be a challenge, Oikos created the Oikos Nutrition Sponsorship Program. The partnership has already made an impact with Jackson State University Athletics in Jackson, MS, during the 2023–2024 season, with results including:
$100K donated to fund the restocking of healthy snack stations at the JSU Athletics Department
More than 1,100 pounds of product donated
Nutrition resources shared with student athletes, in partnership with the American Sports and Performance Dietitians Association (formerly known as the Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitian Association)
Too Good & Co. partners with City Harvest of New York City and We Don’t Waste of Denver to help fight hunger by keeping good, nutritious food from going to waste and providing it to those in need. By donating for every unit sold, Too Good hopes to help save 82 million pounds of food by the end of 2024, which is equivalent to donating 69 million meals.
Enhancing Nutrition Research
In March 2024 — and in response to a petition submitted by Danone North America — the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the first-ever qualified health claim for yogurt. This recognizes a potential link between the regular consumption of yogurt and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. The new claim states that “eating yogurt regularly, at least 2 cups (3 servings) per week, may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes according to limited scientific evidence.” Type 2 diabetes is a condition 1.2 million Americans are newly diagnosed with every year, according to the CDC.
Limiting Sugar Content
In April 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the Final School Meals Rule, which establishes stricter nutrition parameters for the breakfast and lunch program for kindergarten students through 12th grade. Sugar reduction has been a priority for Danone for many years, and it continues to be a priority in our health and nutrition strategy. We’re pleased that nearly our full portfolio of products meets these new USDA standards. We continue to develop and invest in science and technology that reduce added sugar while enabling us to create products that meet consumers’ needs and expectations.
We’ve worked alongside USDA and health organizations to support these stricter nutrition requirements — including the added sugar limits for yogurts. We’re especially proud that Danone North America is mentioned favorably in the rule as a partner contributing to improvements in the broader food environment.
Watch our continued progress toward all of these commitments through our website stories and on LinkedIn. Many thanks to our broad team of Danoners for their passion and work to create meaningful and innovative ways to put our mission of bringing health through food to as many people as possible into action.
