Top yogurt producer moves into plant-based dairy products — while still being the big cheese: ‘It’s the ability to flex’
April 5, 2024 | 1 min to read
Food brands are increasingly embracing flexitarianism, allowing consumers to switch between animal and plant-based products. This approach reflects a growing desire for choice as stricter diets remain a minority. Even minor adjustments, like reducing beef consumption, can significantly impact pollution levels. Companies like Danone are leading the charge in the expanding market for dairy-free alternatives, emerging as the world's top plant-based food provider while maintaining their legacy with traditional dairy products.
The biggest flex for food brands might just be “flexing” — switching between animal and plant-based products, that is.
That’s because consumers want choice — “flexitarianism” is on the rise, while stricter diets like veganism are still a very small portion of the population. And even a slight food flex can make a big difference. With everything involved in beef production, eating just one fewer burger each week over the course of a year can remove as much pollution as taking a car off the road for 320 miles, according to EarthDay.org.
Dairy-free milk and yogurt alternatives are a fast-growing category, including for Danone, the legacy multinational corporation known for — among other brands — Activia, Evian, Silk, and peak childhood nostalgia brand, Danimals. In fact, the world’s No. 1 fresh dairy products company has also become the No. 1 plant-based food company in the world.
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