The next wave of food and beverage innovation may not begin in a lab. As DairyReporter reports, Danone is linking farm-level investments in soil health, animal welfare, technology and supply resilience directly to the development of protein- and fibre-rich products.
Innovating higher quality products starts on the farm
Danone’s Greg Wolf (Director of Producer Relation Management) argues innovation starts not in R&D labs but in the fields and barns of long-time farm partners such as Schwieterman Farms and MVP Dairy in Celina, Ohio — which work with Danone on regenerative agriculture practices to improve soil health, animal welfare and the quality of ingredients going into Silk, Oikos, Danimals and other products.
“Our main goal is just to make the farms very resilient” and support them to attract younger generations back to the industry, Wolf said. Automation — including automatic feeders to complement existing robotic milking machines — is key: “The automation part within the dairy industry is really starting to spark a little bit of the interest to the younger generations.”
What do consumers want?
Kristie Leigh (Director of Health and Scientific Affairs, Danone North America) noted that consumers increasingly seek targeted nutrition benefits.
“Protein has been a race to the grams. We are just trying to get to the moon” — but Danone wants to deliver grams and quality, including bioavailability paired with vitamins and minerals.
New launches include shelf-stable RTD Silk Protein drinks with 30g protein and 5g fibre, and a Silk high-protein plant-based yogurt in tubs and cups delivering 12g protein, 4g fibre, that “eats like a traditional Greek yogurt.”
Science-based innovation offers staying power over fads
Activia has promoted gut health for over 20 years — and Activia Fiber, sold for 11 years, recently saw a sales surge as consumer interest in fibre renewed. Danone is also innovating for GLP-1 drug users: high-protein products to maintain muscle mass, fibre for gut health, essential micronutrients and smaller portions. Many of these attributes also appeal to ageing consumers seeking healthspan-supporting foods.
Looking forward
Leigh predicts nutrient density will become increasingly important, requiring continued farm-level advancements. Open communication and transparency about farm practices will be pivotal to long-term success — for Danone, its farm partners, and the broader food system.
Source: DairyReporter
