Advancing our mission of bringing health through food means supporting as many families across the U.S. as we can by providing and promoting access to healthy food. One way we do this is by working to meet the nutritional needs of mothers and children, specifically with our work contributing to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, better known as WIC.
WIC is a public health program that provides specialized nutrition benefits including food packages that help meet the nutritional needs of income-eligible pregnant and postpartum moms, infants, and children up to five years old. In addition, the program offers key resources around nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and immunization screening, as well as referrals to health and social services, so that moms have the information that they need to make informed decisions for their families. Currently the WIC program serves about 7 million pregnant women, new moms, babies, and young children across all 50 states.
Danone North America has been a proud advocate of and contributor to WIC for over 10 years, with many of our yogurt and soymilk products eligible through the program. In fact, supporting WIC reflects our Dual Project belief that our business performance and purpose are interconnected to create both economic and societal value. With no one-size-fits-all option when it comes to nutrition choices, we’re pleased that our eligible portfolio enables WIC participants to have the flexibility to choose from a variety of Danone products that fit their personal preferences, dietary restrictions, and cultural traditions, while supporting a healthy dietary pattern over time.
Our WIC eligible products include yogurt options from Activia, Dannon, Light + Fit, and Oikos, as well as options from our Silk and Happy Family brands. Additionally, as of April 2024, even more Danone offerings and product sizes will be eligible for WIC, driving greater options and product accessibility, including single-serve yogurts and soy yogurt. These expanded product options will be available for WIC packages on a rolling basis, contingent on state approvals. You can find our full range of WIC eligible products by state here.
Each year, the WIC program is re-evaluated for funding and even when approved on the federal level, state funding is not guaranteed. With countless families across the country facing food insecurity and barriers to nutrition based on income, geography, and more, the WIC program is essential for increasing access to nutrient-dense choices. We are proud to have dedicated Danoners who are committed to advocating for and demonstrating the impact of the WIC program on both federal and state levels so that all families can have access to the foods that support healthy eating at a critical time in children’s lives when dietary habits are influenced. We aim to continue educating families, policymakers, and communities about the WIC program to ensure the program is funded year after year to meet the needs of families in need.
For more information, review our WIC brochure here.