68 | PRODUCTION Danone Nutricia T T Karen Phelps ‘A pathway to a healthier future’ Steve Donnelly: “Everyone who works at Danone wants to make a positive impact.” “Because a better tomorrow for our little ones starts with the choices we make today.” Danone’s sophisticated blending and packing plant in South Auckland has become a critical hub for infant nutrition across New Zealand, Australia, Southeast Asia and China. The company’s New Zealand operations manager Steve Donnelly says the Auckland facility, which employs more than 400 people ranging from shop floor operators to research scientists, is part of Danone’s commitment to providing the highest-quality nutrition to families globally. “Everyone who works at Danone wants to make a positive impact,” says Steve. “For us, it’s about creating a pathway to a healthier future.” The Auckland plant currently sources milk from 20 local South Island farms. This goes into making New Zealand-made products such as Karicare Toddler and Aptamil Toddler and other products tailored to different markets. Dominating the New Zealand market with an impressive 70% market share, Danone has sustainability at the core of its overall strategy. The company has implemented numerous initiatives to reduce environmental impact, including water-waste reduction, green electricity usage and ensuring product packaging is recyclable. A major project came to fruition in 2022, when the company made industry headlines for making the switch to a biomass boiler to power its spray-drying plant in Balclutha. Unlike gas or the more common coal-powered fossil fuel boilers in New Zealand, Danone’s biomass boiler is powered by locally sourced wood residues from sustainably managed forests, supplying the plant with renewable energy. “Because a better tomorrow for our little ones starts with the choices we make today,” says Steve. This focus on sustainability is driven by the ‘Danone Impact Journey’ – a series of commitments in three key areas: health, nature and people and communities. “For each pillar we’ve defined a new set of priorities and translated those into mid- and long-term objectives,” says Steve. “The focus is on where the company can deliver the most impact and do the most good. That means good for health, good for people and communities and good for the planet.” He says Danone is also proud to be a responsible industry leader, particularly in its stance on breastfeeding support. The company advocates for exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months, and was the first company not to advertise or promote infant formula for children aged 0-6 months anywhere in the world, even if permitted by local laws. Danone is also a member of the Infant Nutrition Council’s Code of Practice, meaning it is committed to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants. This includes protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring the proper use of infant formula, when necessary, on the basis of adequate information. Danone’s commitment to ethical practices has been recognised globally and it is one of only a few breast milk substitute manufacturers certified by the FTSE4Good Index Series, a testament to its strong environmental, social and governance practices, says Steve. Here in New Zealand, the ANZ team became a B Corp in 2021 and is set to recertify next year. Danone builds its portfolio on health-focused and fast-growing categories in three businesses: essential dairy and plant-based products, water and specialised nutrition. With more than 100,000 employees worldwide, and products sold in over 120 markets, Danone’s portfolio includes leading international brands Actimel, Activia, Alpro, Aptamil Toddler, Danette, Danio, Danonino, evian, Nutricia, Nutrilon, Souvenaid and Volvic amongst others. It also includes strong local and regional brands including Karicare Toddler, AQUA, Blédina, Bonafont, Cow & Gate, Horizon Organic, Mizone, Oikos, Prostokvashino, Silk and Vega. As a key supply point for the multinational company, Steve says Danone’s New Zealand operations are noticing increasing global demand for products, and experienced over 20% growth in 2024. PROUDLY SUPPORTING DANONE NUTRICIA 0800 663 574 www.jdmclennan.co.nz specialised engineering solutions
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