Danone S.A.
Company History
Danone History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1919 in Barcelona, Spain
When was Danone founded?
Danone was founded in 1919 in Barcelona, Spain by Isaac Carasso, making it 107 years old.
- Founded
- 1919
- Founding place
- Barcelona, Spain
- Founders
- Isaac Carasso
- Headquarters today
- Paris, France
- Milestones documented
- 13 (1919–2026)
- Current CEO
- Antoine de Saint-Affrique
- Acquisitions
- 4
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1919 | Danone founded in Barcelona |
| 1929 | Expansion to France |
| 1941 | Entry into the United States |
| 1966 | BSN formed through glass merger |
| 1970 | BSN enters food and beverages |
| 1994 | Corporate name change to Danone |
| 2007 | Numico acquisition for ~$13.9 billion (EUR12.3 billion) |
| 2017 | WhiteWave acquisition for about $12.5 billion |
| 2021 | Antoine de Saint-Affrique becomes CEO |
| 2023 | EDP Russia exit and US organic dairy divestiture |
| 2024 | Renew Danone delivers volume-led growth |
| 2025 | FY2025 Quality Growth and Global B Corp Certification |
| 2026 | H1 2026 results and Huel acquisition |
- Where was Danone founded?
- Danone was founded in Barcelona, Spain in 1919. wikidata.org
- Who founded Danone?
- Danone was founded by Isaac Carasso.
- When did Danone start?
- Danone was founded in 1919.
- How old is Danone?
- Danone is 107 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
In 1919 Isaac Carasso, a Sephardic Jewish entrepreneur from Thessaloniki living in Barcelona, began producing yogurt with ferments from the Pasteur Institute to help children with intestinal disorders. He named it Danone after his son Daniel and first sold it through pharmacies. Daniel Carasso took the brand to Paris in 1929 and, after fleeing the Nazi occupation, co-founded Dannon in New York in 1942.
Founders
Isaac Carasso
Isaac Carasso founded Danone in Barcelona in 1919, naming the yogurt after his son Daniel ('Danon' in Catalan). His son Daniel Carasso founded the Societe Parisienne du Yoghourt Danone in Paris in 1929 and, after fleeing the Nazi occupation, co-founded Dannon Milk Products in New York in 1942. Daniel later returned to France, and the business merged with Antoine Riboud's glassmaker-turned-food group BSN in 1973, forming the company that took the Danone name in 1994. Isaac Carasso was born in 1874.
Key Milestones
Danone founded in Barcelona
Isaac Carasso establishes Danone in Barcelona, Spain, producing yogurt as a medicinal product for children with digestive issues. The company name derives from his son Daniel's nickname 'Danon.' Initial sales occur through pharmacies, establishing a health-science brand positioning distinct from commodity dairy.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgExpansion to France
Daniel Carasso founds the Societe Parisienne du Yoghourt Danone in Paris, turning the Barcelona pharmacy product into a French consumer brand.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgEntry into the United States
Daniel Carasso flees Nazi-occupied France for New York, where he co-founds Dannon Milk Products in the Bronx in 1942, introducing the brand to American consumers.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBSN formed through glass merger
Antoine Riboud merges glassmakers Souchon-Neuvesel and Boussois to create BSN, the industrial group that would later become Danone.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgBSN enters food and beverages
BSN buys Evian, Kronenbourg and Bledina, moving from glass into beverages and baby food. Evian remains Danone's flagship premium water brand.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCorporate name change to Danone
The company changes its name from BSN to Danone, reflecting the food and beverage business's dominance over the original glass operations. This rebranding completes the transformation from an industrial conglomerate into a focused health-food company.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgNumico acquisition for ~$13.9 billion (EUR12.3 billion)
Danone acquires Dutch baby-food and medical nutrition group Royal Numico for about $13.9 billion (EUR12.3 billion) and sells its LU biscuit business to Kraft, creating today's Specialized Nutrition category (Aptamil, Nutrilon, Nutricia).
Source: en.wikipedia.orgWhiteWave acquisition for about $12.5 billion
Danone completes its roughly USD12.5 billion (including debt) acquisition of WhiteWave Foods in April 2017, adding Silk, Alpro, So Delicious and Horizon Organic and becoming a global leader in plant-based foods.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAntoine de Saint-Affrique becomes CEO
Former Barry Callebaut CEO and Unilever executive Antoine de Saint-Affrique becomes CEO on September 15, 2021, after the board removed Emmanuel Faber in March 2021 under activist pressure.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgEDP Russia exit and US organic dairy divestiture
Russia places Danone's local dairy business under temporary state management in July 2023; Danone deconsolidates it and agrees in 2023-2024 to sell it, while also selling U.S. organic dairy brands Horizon Organic and Wallaby to Platinum Equity.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgRenew Danone delivers volume-led growth
Danone reports FY2024 sales of ~$30.9B (EUR27.376B), up 4.3% like-for-like, with recurring operating margin of 13.0% and free cash flow of ~$3.39B (EUR3.0B).
Source: danone.comFY2025 Quality Growth and Global B Corp Certification
Danone reports FY2025 sales of ~$30.8B (EUR27.283B), 4.5% like-for-like growth, recurring operating margin of 13.4%, and worldwide B Corp certification.
Source: danone.comH1 2026 results and Huel acquisition
Danone reports H1 2026 sales of ~$15.7B (EUR13.936B) (+3.5% like-for-like) and a 13.3% recurring margin, and completes the acquisition of UK functional nutrition brand Huel in September 2026.
Source: danone.comMajor Acquisitions
Royal Numico N.V.
2007Add baby food and medical nutrition (Aptamil, Nutrilon, Nutricia) and refocus Danone on health.
WhiteWave Foods Company
2017Build global leadership in plant-based foods and scale up in North America.
Kate Farms
2025Expand U.S. medical nutrition with plant-based, organic shakes and tube-feeding formulas.
Huel
2026Enter complete-nutrition and meal-replacement products in functional nutrition.
Keep researching Danone
Danone Company History FAQ
What were the major historical eras of Danone from 1919 to 1973?
Founded in 1919 in Barcelona by Isaac Carasso, Danone expanded to Paris in 1929, launched Dannon in New York in 1942, merged with glass and food maker BSN under Antoine Riboud in 1973, and began building a European food leader.
How did Franck Riboud refocus Danone on health from 1996 to 2007?
Between 1996 and 2007, then-CEO Franck Riboud transformed Danone: selling off Kronenbourg beer, European packaging, and LU biscuits, and acquiring Royal Numico for ~$13.9 billion (€12.3 billion) to establish a pure-play health food giant.
When did Danone acquire WhiteWave Foods and become the plant-based leader?
In April 2017, Danone completed the $12.5 billion acquisition of WhiteWave Foods, creating DanoneWave (Essential Dairy & Plant-Based) and bringing Silk and Alpro into its global portfolio.
When did Danone adopt the 'Entreprise à Mission' legal corporate model?
In June 2020, Danone's shareholders voted with over 99% approval to become the first French publicly listed company to adopt the legal status of 'Entreprise à Mission', legally binding the company to advance public health, social progress, and planetary sustainability.
When was Antoine de Saint-Affrique appointed CEO of Danone?
In September 2021, Antoine de Saint-Affrique was appointed CEO of Danone S.A., launching the 'Renew Danone' strategic turnaround plan to restore operational discipline, volume growth, and margin expansion.
How did Danone resolve its exit from the Russian market in 2023 to 2024?
Russia placed Danone's local dairy business under temporary state management in July 2023. Danone agreed in March 2024 to sell it to Vamin R for a reported RUB17.7 billion (about USD190 million), completed the sale in 2024 and recognized a loss of about $1.36 billion (EUR1.2 billion), ending its presence in Russia.
When did Danone become a certified B Corp?
Danone began certifying its subsidiaries as B Corps in 2015 and, after years of entity-by-entity certification, achieved worldwide B Corp certification in 2025, making it one of the largest companies certified by B Lab.
What are Danone's strategic priorities for 2026?
Under Renew Danone Chapter 2, Danone is scaling high-protein dairy (Oikos, YoPro), U.S. and European medical nutrition (including Kate Farms), gut-health and microbiome science, and functional nutrition through Huel. It guides to +3% to +5% like-for-like sales growth in 2026.
Where did the name Danone come from?
Danone was founded in 1919 in Barcelona, Spain, by Isaac Carasso. He named the company "Danone" after "Danon," the Catalan affectionate nickname for his son, Daniel Carasso.
Related Companies
Compare Danone S.A. History With Competitors
Related Strategic History
Compare founding milestones and corporate evolution
Explore Danone
Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.