Danone’s Q2 results were impacted by a sheer drop in bottled water sales as a result of Covid-19 and falling water sales worldwide—particularly in the out-of-home sector. Danone owns major bottled water brands such as Evian, Volvic and Badoit, and net sales registered by the company’s waters unit fell 28% on a like-for-like basis in the second quarter, with volumes decreasing 12% and value falling 16.1%. The company also announced that it was committed to becoming 100% carbon neutral in many of its brands.
In June, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) cleared Danone’s acquisition of a majority stake in bottled water company Harrogate Water. More recently, the European multinational food-products corporation announced a series of investments totalling approximately €100 million to strengthen its Specialized Nutrition business in China.
Danone-owned plant-based brand Silk expanded its beverage portfolio in the US with the introduction of new Pumpkin Spice products. Additionally, the company also launched a range of yogurts for children with probiotics, its So Delicious Dairy Free frozen desserts in US, as well as a plant-based acceleration unit to propel its presence in the market.
Ranking (last five years):
2020: 10
2019: 14
2018: 10
2017: 13
2016: 13
Year end:
December, 2019
Currency:
Euros
Total sales, local currency:
25,287
Food sales, local currency:
25,287
Total sales, $:
28,322
Food sales, $:
28,322
Key leadership:
Emmanuel Faber, Chairman and CEO
Cécile Cabanis, Executive VP, CFO, Technology and Data, Cycles and Procurement
Francisco Camacho, Executive VP, Essential Dairy and Plant-Based International
Henri Bruxelles, Executive VP Waters and Africa
Shane Grant, Executive VP and CEO Danone North America
