Editing Danone (section)

==History==
===Name===
[[File:Isaac carasso.jpg|thumb|150px|Isaac Carasso, founder of Danone]]
Danone was founded by [[Isaac Carasso]] (born İzak Karasu), a [[Thessaloniki]]-born [[Sephardic Jewish]] physician from the [[Ottoman Empire]], who began producing yogurt in [[Barcelona]], Spain in 1919.<ref>{{cite web|title=Danone: History of Danone group|url=http://danone.ua/en/about-company/history/?no_cache=1|access-date=2020-11-24|website=danone.ua}}</ref> The brand was named Danone, which translates to "little Daniel", after his son [[Daniel Carasso]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/how-dannon-built-a-yogurt-market-in-the-u-s/#/|title=How Dannon Made Yogurt Mainstream in America After Starting as a Staple for Immigrants|access-date=2017-11-29|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.lavanguardia.com/economia/20171127/433237749941/danone-foco-innovacion.html|title=Danone pone el foco en la innovación|work=La Vanguardia|access-date=2017-11-29|language=Spanish}}</ref>

In 1929, Isaac Carasso moved the company from [[Spain]] to [[France]], opening a plant in [[Paris]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/4868904/1967-detroit-fire-coverage/|title=50 Years Ago This Week: Detroit and 'The Fire This Time'|magazine=Time|access-date=2017-12-01}}</ref> In 1942, Daniel Carasso moved the company to New York.<ref name="brandchannel">{{Cite news|url=http://brandchannel.com/2017/11/07/dannon-five-questions-michael-neuwirth/|title=The Scoop on Dannon: 5 Questions With DanoneWave's Michael Neuwirth|date=2017-11-07|work=brandchannel|access-date=2017-12-01|language=en-US|archive-date=25 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025102516/https://www.brandchannel.com/2017/11/07/dannon-five-questions-michael-neuwirth/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the United States, Daniel Carasso partnered with the Swiss-born Spaniard Juan Metzger and changed the brand name to Dannon to sound more American.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/25/AR2009052502299.html|title=Daniel Carasso, 103, Dies; Businessman Introduced America to Dannon Yogurt|journal=The Washington Post and Times-Herald|last=Langer|first=Emily|date=2009-05-26|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref>

In 1951, Daniel Carasso returned to Paris to manage the family's businesses in France and Spain, and the American business was sold to [[Beatrice Foods]] in 1959; it was repurchased by Danone in 1981.<ref name="Dannon in USA">{{cite web | url=http://www.danone.com/en/for-you/journalists/basics/our-strategic-zones-of-development/puid/united-states/ | publisher=Danone Group | title=Dannon History in the United States | access-date=13 June 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403070441/http://www.danone.com/en/for-you/journalists/basics/our-strategic-zones-of-development/puid/united-states/ | archive-date=3 April 2015 | url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/business/21carasso.html|title=Daniel Carasso, a Pioneer of Yogurt, Dies at 103|last=Grimes|first=William|date=2009-05-20|work=The New York Times|access-date=2018-01-02|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In Europe in 1967, Danone merged with Gervais, the leading fresh cheese producer in France, and became Gervais Danone.

In 1973, the company merged with bottle maker Boussois-Souchon-Neuvesel (BSN), which was formed by the merger of Glaces de Boussois, France's 2nd-largest producer of flat glass, with Lyon-based Verreries Souchon-Neuvesel, France's top producer of bottles and jars. Souchon-Neuvesel, based in the Lyon region, produced bottles, industrial containers, flacons and table glassware (container glass). Glaces de Boussois, located in northern France, made windows for the building and automobile industries (plate glass). Three years earlier BSN had merged with [[Evian]], [[Kronenbourg]], Société Européenne de Brasseries and [[Blédina]].

The company changed its name to Groupe Danone in 1983.<ref name=":0" />

===Strategic reorientation (1970–2000)===
The acquisitions initially took the shape of vertical integration, with BSN acquiring Alsatian brewer [[Kronenbourg Brewery|Kronenbourg]] and [[Evian]] branded mineral water who were the glassmaker's largest customers. This move provided content with which to fill the factory's bottles.<ref name="hist1">{{cite web|url=http://www.danone.com/wps/portal/jump/DanoneCorporateIntl.Company.History.1966_1980 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040910034427/http://www.danone.com/wps/portal/jump/DanoneCorporateIntl.Company.History.1966_1980 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 September 2004 |publisher=Danone Group |title=History of Success: from bottles to beverages |access-date=11 April 2007 }}</ref> In 1973, the company merged with Gervais Danone and began to expand internationally, including a rebranding of the Dannon yogurt brand in the U.S. and a successful ad campaign [[In Soviet Georgia]] that started in October 1976.<ref name="nytimesadvertising">{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/16/archives/advertising-dannon-visits-a-soviet-village.html |title=Dannon Visits a Soviet Village |author=Sloane, Leonard |date=16 August 1976 |accessdate=21 January 2024 |website=The New York Times |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20180423061624/https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/16/archives/advertising-dannon-visits-a-soviet-village.html |archivedate=23 April 2018 }}</ref> In 1979, the company abandoned glassmaking by disposing of Verreries Boussois. In 1987, Gervais Danone acquired European biscuit manufacturer [[Générale Biscuit]], owners of the [[LU (biscuits)|LU brand]], and, in 1989, it bought out the European biscuit operations of [[Nabisco]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.danone.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4h3CgHJgFiWvvqRqCLGpugijnCBoLQifW99X4_83FT9AP2C3NDQiHJHRQC2okxl/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82XzBfTjY! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515231017/http://www.danone.com/wps/portal/%21ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4h3CgHJgFiWvvqRqCLGpugijnCBoLQifW99X4_83FT9AP2C3NDQiHJHRQC2okxl/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82XzBfTjY%21 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 May 2006 |publisher=Danone Group |title=Setting out to conquer Europe |access-date=11 April 2007}}</ref> The operation included UK manufacturers [[Huntley and Palmers]], [[Peek Frean]], and [[Jacob's]], which had previously merged to form Associated Biscuits Ltd.<ref name=brief>{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionsgateway.org.uk/collections/7/hp%20timeline.pdf|title=Biscuit Time: a brief history of Huntley and Palmers}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.huntleyandpalmers.org.uk/ixbin/hixclient.exe?a=query&p=huntley&f=generic_sitetext.htm&_IXFIRST_=1&_IXMAXHITS_=1&cms_con_core_subtype%3Acms_con_text_what=about_us&%3Acms_sys_group=%22huntley%22 |title=About H&P Collection |access-date=31 August 2021 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831191246/http://www.huntleyandpalmers.org.uk/ixbin/hixclient.exe?a=query&p=huntley&f=generic_sitetext.htm&_IXFIRST_=1&_IXMAXHITS_=1&cms_con_core_subtype:cms_con_text_what=about_us&:cms_sys_group=%22huntley%22 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1994, BSN changed its name to Groupe Danone, adopting the name of the group's best-known international brand. Franck Riboud succeeded his father, Antoine, as the company's chairman and chief executive officer in 1996 when Riboud senior retired. Under Riboud junior, the company continued to pursue its focus on three product groups (dairy, beverages, and cereals) and divested itself of several activities which had become non-core including [[Amora (mustard)|Amora]], [[Liebig's Extract of Meat Company|Liebig]], and [[Maille (company)|Maille]] brands.<ref>{{cite journal|date=1998-04-02|title=Paribas multiplie les rachats dans l'agroalimentaire|url=https://www.lsa-conso.fr/paribas-multiplie-les-rachats-dans-l-agroalimentaire,23990|access-date=2022-01-07|website=lsa-conso.fr|language=fr|last1=Conso |first1=L. S. A. }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=1998-09-24|title=Danone : la nouvelle garde rapprochée de Franck Riboud|url=https://www.lsa-conso.fr/danone-la-nouvelle-garde-rapprochee-de-franck-riboud,27034|access-date=2022-01-07|website=lsa-conso.fr|language=fr|last1=Conso |first1=L. S. A. }}</ref>

[[File:Danone Saclay.JPG|thumb|left|The research center of Danone in the [[business cluster]] of [[Paris-Saclay]], [[France]], photographed in 2014]]
In 1999 and 2003, the group sold 56% and 44% respectively of its glass-containers business.

===21st century===
In 2000, the group also sold most of its European beer activities (the brand [[Kronenbourg]] and the brand 1664 were sold to [[Scottish & Newcastle]] for £1.7 billion.<ref name="find1">{{Cite news | url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000321/ai_n14283654| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005012102/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20000321/ai_n14283654| url-status=dead| archive-date=5 October 2007|work=The Independent |location=UK |title = Scottish & Newcastle acquires Kronenbourg in £1.7bn deal |access-date =12 April 2007}}</ref> Its Italian cheese and meat businesses ([[Galbani|Egidio Galbani Spa]]) were sold in March 2002;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.realdeals.eu.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=38412 | title=European Buy-Outs: Italy's many privately owned businesses are welcoming private equity as a way to drive consolidation | publisher=Real Deals | date=26 January 2006 | access-date=12 April 2007 | archive-date=19 April 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220419001246/https://realdeals.eu.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=38412 | url-status=dead }}</ref> as were its beer producing activities in China.

The company's British (''Jacob's'') and Irish biscuit operations were sold to [[United Biscuits]] in September 2004.<ref name="find3">{{Cite news |url=http://receitasdepapinhas.com/danone-sells-irish-biscuits-to-united-biscuits |work=The Independent |location=UK |date=24 July 2004 |title=Danone sells its UK biscuits to United |access-date=12 April 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808212616/http://receitasdepapinhas.com/danone-sells-irish-biscuits-to-united-biscuits/ |archive-date=8 August 2016}}</ref> In August 2005, the Group sold its sauces business in the United Kingdom and in the United States ([[HP Foods]]),<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EUY/is_30_11/ai_n14941048 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201102117/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EUY/is_30_11/ai_n14941048/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 December 2009 |title=Heinz announced completion of its acquisition of the HP Foods Group from Groupe Danone S.A. for approximately $820&nbsp;million in cash |work=Food & Drink Weekly |date=22 August 2005 |access-date=12 April 2007 }}</ref> in January 2006, its sauces business in Asia ([[Amoy Food]]) was sold to [[Ajinomoto]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.danone.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4h3CgHJgFiWvvqRqCLGpugijnCBoLQifW99X4_83FT9AP2C3NDQiHJHRQC2okxl/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82XzBfTjg! |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060515231030/http://www.danone.com/wps/portal/%21ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLN4h3CgHJgFiWvvqRqCLGpugijnCBoLQifW99X4_83FT9AP2C3NDQiHJHRQC2okxl/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82XzBfTjg%21 |url-status=dead |archive-date=15 May 2006 |publisher=Danone Group |date=21 March 2000 |first=Lucy |last=Baker |title=Toward the third millennium |access-date=11 April 2007}}</ref> Despite these divestitures, Danone continues to expand internationally in its three core business units, emphasising health and well-being products.<ref name="20F">{{cite web | url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1048515/000119312507071783/d20f.htm |publisher=Danone Group|title = Annual Report on Form 20-F |access-date =11 April 2007}}</ref>

In July 2007, it was announced that Danone had reached agreement with [[Kraft Foods Inc]] (now [[Mondelēz International]]) to sell most of its biscuits division, including the LU and Prince brands but excluding Latin American ([[Bagley (Argentine company)|Bagley]]) and Indian ([[Britannia Industries]]) units, for around €5.3&nbsp;billion.<ref name="Kraft">{{Cite news
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6264318.stm
|title=Danone mulls Kraft biscuit deal
|work=BBC News
|date=3 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kraft Foods compra Danone, sin Bagley |url=https://www.ambito.com/economia/kraft-foods-compra-danone-bagley-n3438945 |access-date=2022-03-02 |website=Ambito |language=es-ar}}</ref> Also in July 2007, a €12.3&nbsp;billion cash offer by Danone for the Dutch [[baby food]] and clinical nutrition company Numico was agreed to by both boards,<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/19676778
|title=Danone to Offer 12.3&nbsp;Billion Euros for Numico
|website=CNBC
|access-date=9 July 2007
|date=9 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930181722/http://www.cnbc.com/id/19676778 <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 30 September 2007}}</ref> creating the world's second-largest manufacturer of baby food.

===Dairy-focused business (2010–present)===
In 2009, the company changed its name from Groupe Danone to Danone.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurexchange.com/exchange-en/resources/circulars/groupe-danone--name-change/243908|title=Eurex Exchange - Groupe Danone: Name Change|website=Eurexchange.com|access-date=22 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814232719/https://www.eurexchange.com/exchange-en/resources/circulars/groupe-danone--name-change/243908|archive-date=14 August 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2007 Danone spent 12.3 billion euros on the purchase of the baby and medical nutrition business of Dutch rival [[Numico]].<ref name=rtr1/>

In 2010 Danone plunged into the Russian market by acquiring OAO Unimilk's companies.<ref name=unimilk>{{cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2010-06-18/danone-merges-russian-dairy-unit-with-unimilk-to-triple-sales-in-region|publisher=Bloomberg|title = Danone Merges Russian Dairy Business With Unimilk|newspaper=Bloomberg.com|date=18 June 2010|access-date =18 June 2010}}</ref> The share of Unimilk was 21% of the Russian market. Danone was to hold 57.5 percent of the capital; it funded the acquisition by writing put options for Unimilk share owners. In 2009 Unimilk sales revenue was 969 million euros. As of the merger, Unimilk had 28 facilities in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,<ref name="rtr1">{{cite news |title=Danone secures Russia expansion with Unimilk deal |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65H27A/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |work=Reuters}}</ref> and Kazakhstan. The united Danone-Unimilk company had 18,000 employees in the [[Commonwealth of Independent States]].<ref name="di1">{{cite news |url=https://www.dairyindustries.com/news/600/danone-and-unimilk-join-forces-in-russia/ |title=Danone and Unimilk join forces in Russia }}</ref>

The [[Wockhardt]] group's nutrition activities in India were acquired by Danone in 2012.<ref name=wsj>{{cite news | url=https://blogs.wsj.com/dealjournalindia/2012/07/26/wockhardt-closes-deal-to-sell-nutrition-business-to-danone/|work=The Wall Street Journal|title = Wockhardt Closes Deal to Sell Nutrition Business to Danone|access-date =26 June 2012}}</ref>

In mid-February 2013 Danone announced their intention to cut 900 jobs or about 3.3 percent of their 27,000 person European workforce.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://prod-euronews.euronews.net/2013/02/19/danone-cuts-european-jobs-on-weak-demand/ |title=Danone cuts European jobs on weak demand |website=Prod-euronews.wuronews.net |date=19 February 2013 |access-date=21 February 2013 |archive-date=22 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200522225040/http://prod-euronews.euronews.net/2013/02/19/danone-cuts-european-jobs-on-weak-demand// |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Since 2013, Danone has grown on the African continent, notably with the acquisition of a controlling interest in Centrale Danone in Morocco and equity interests in Fan Milk in West Africa and Brookside in Kenya.

In 2014, [[Emmanuel Faber]] became CEO.<ref name="18PDF">{{cite web|url=https://www.danone.com/content/dam/danone-corp/about-us-impact/publications/en/2018/Danone-RA2017-EN-PDF-e-accessible_03.pdf|title=Danone Annual Report 2017|website=Danone.com|access-date=22 October 2018}}</ref>

[[File:World locations of Danone Group factories.svg|thumb|300px|Global locations of Danone factories]]

Danone was present in 130 markets and generated sales of US$25.7&nbsp;billion in 2016, with more than half in developing countries. In 2015, fresh [[Dairy product|dairy products]] represented 50% of the group's total sales, baby food 22%, branded water 21%, and medical nutrition 7%.<ref>{{cite web|url =http://www.danone.com/uploads/tx_bidanonepublications/Danone_FY_2015_Results_UK_02.pdf|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160315225618/http://www.danone.com/uploads/tx_bidanonepublications/Danone_FY_2015_Results_UK_02.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date =2016-03-15|title =Press release – February 23, 2016}}</ref> In 2017, [[Franck Riboud]] became honorary chairman and Faber became chairman as well as retaining his CEO position.<ref name="18PDF" />

In 2018, Danone rebranded its DanoneWave subsidiary, formed after the 2017 acquisition of [[WhiteWave Foods]] ([[Alpro]]), into Danone North America.<ref name="18WhW"/>

In 2020, Danone announced that It would cut up to 2,000 jobs as part of a reorganization. This amounted to about 2% of its workforce.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Danone to cut up to 2,000 jobs in reorganisation|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/agribusiness-and-food/danone-to-cut-up-to-2-000-jobs-in-reorganisation-1.4416725|access-date=2020-11-23|newspaper=The Irish Times|language=en}}</ref>

In late 2020, the entry of the London-based [[hedge fund]] Bluebell Capital as a shareholder of Danone put Faber’s position into question. In a letter sent to all shareholders in November 2020, they qualified Danone's stock market performance under Faber of overall "disappointing", arguing that "the right balance between shareholder value creation and sustainability issues" had not been struck under his tenure.<ref>{{cite news|author=Leila Abboud|title= Activist fund Bluebell Capital takes aim at Danone|work=[[The Financial Times]]|url= https://www.ft.com/content/2df158fb-357a-499a-b51c-025b4f1d5c97 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/2df158fb-357a-499a-b51c-025b4f1d5c97 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|date=18 January 2021|access-date=30 May 2021}}</ref> After the publication of only slightly comforting 2020 results and disappointing first trimester turnover figures, Bluebell Capital's activism paid off and Faber was ousted in mid-March 2021.<ref>{{cite news|author=Leila Abboud|title= Danone board ousts Emmanuel Faber as chief and chairman|work=[[The Financial Times]]|url=  https://www.ft.com/content/8e7ae718-eb18-4d2f-bd18-59e6349540f2 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/8e7ae718-eb18-4d2f-bd18-59e6349540f2 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription|date=15 March 2021|access-date=30 May 2021}}</ref>

On May 16, 2021, the arrival of [[Antoine Bernard de Saint-Affrique]] as the next CEO of Danone was announced, to be effective on September 15.<ref>{{cite news|author= Dominique Vidalon|title= Danone names Barry Callebaut's Saint-Affrique as new CEO|work=[[Reuters]]|url=  https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/danone-names-barry-callebauts-saint-affrique-new-ceo-2021-05-17/|date=17 May 2021|access-date=30 May 2021}}</ref>

In 2023, Danone Manifesto Ventures, the venture-capital arm of Danone invests in Israel cell-based dairy and infant-milk producer Wilk.

In July 2023 after the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] had put multinational businesses in a delicate position, Russia seized control of Danone Rossiye, putting it under "temporary management" of the state.<ref name="bbc1">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-66218999 |title=Russia seizes control of Danone and Carlsberg operations |date=17 July 2023 }}</ref> In February 2024 it was rumoured that [[Ramzan Kadyrov]] or his nephew [[Yakub Zakriev]] would take over the unit,<ref name="ft1">{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6c1c5fe0-5a98-4d67-acfb-caf482e109cf |title=Danone plans to sell Russian operations to Chechnya-linked businessman }}</ref> for under $200 million.<ref name=rtr2/> On 13 March [[Vladimir Putin]] decreed the removal of the temporary management order;<ref name="ft2">{{cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/6c1c5fe0-5a98-4d67-acfb-caf482e109cf |title=Danone plans to sell Russian operations to Chechnya-linked businessman }}</ref><ref name="rtr2">{{cite news |title=Putin removes Danone's Russian unit from temporary state management |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/putin-excludes-danones-assets-russia-list-placed-under-temporary-management-2024-03-13/ |access-date=2024-03-20 |work=Reuters}}</ref> this opened the way for a sale of the unit.<ref name="bbg1">{{cite news |title=Putin Halts Danone Russia Seizure, Clearing Way for Sale |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-03-13/putin-halts-seizure-of-russian-business-of-france-s-danone |access-date=2024-03-20 |work=Bloomberg}}</ref>