Danone vs Kellanova: Founders, CEOs and History
Danone was founded in 1919 by Isaac Carasso and is led by Antoine de Saint-Affrique. Kellanova was founded in 1906 by Will Keith Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg and is led by Andrew Clarke.
Company facts
Founders
Danone
Isaac Carasso
Isaac Carasso founded Danone in Barcelona in 1919, naming the yogurt after his son Daniel ('Danon' in Catalan).
Kellanova
Will Keith Kellogg
Kellanova (originally the Kellogg Company) possesses arguably the most bizarre, religious, and accidental founding story in American industrial history, rooted directly in an austere 19th-century health sanitarium and a bitter brotherly rivalry.
John Harvey Kellogg
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg is the tragic, eccentric figure whose pursuit of physical and spiritual purity inadvertently laid the groundwork for one of the most successful commercial food empires in history.
CEOs and their tenures
Danone
- Antoine Riboud1973–1996
Former CEO and Architect of modern Danone
He turned a regional glass manufacturer into one of France's largest food groups, and his dual-project idea still frames Danone's mission status and B Corp certification.
Source - Franck Riboud1996–2014
Former CEO and Chairman
He pushed Danone deeper into emerging markets in Asia, Latin America and Africa and co-created Grameen Danone Foods with Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh in 2006.
Source - Emmanuel Faber2014–2021
Former CEO and Chairman
Faber was praised for ESG leadership but criticized by activist investors such as Bluebell Capital and Artisan Partners for lagging sales growth, margins and share-price returns versus Nestle and Unilever. The board removed him in March 2021.
Source - Antoine de Saint-Affrique2021–present
Chief Executive Officer
Under his leadership like-for-like sales growth returned to the 3-5% range with positive volume/mix, recurring operating margin rose from 12.2% in 2022 to 13.4% in 2025 and recurring EPS reached EUR3.80.
Source
Kellanova
- John Bryant2011–2017
President and CEO of Kellogg Company
As CEO, he navigated a severe secular decline in breakfast cereal consumption by ruthlessly cutting costs and pivoting the corporate strategy toward savory snacks.
Source - Steve Cahillane2017–2025
Former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
Shifted Kellogg toward snacks and emerging markets and left after the Mars close. He became CEO of Kraft Heinz on January 1, 2026.
Source - Andrew Clarke2025–present
Global President, Mars Snacking (oversees Kellanova brands)
He focused the company aggressively on high-growth emerging markets and expanded the international footprint of core brands like Pringles and Cheez-It.
Source
Timeline: Danone and Kellanova side by side
1894Kellanova
The Accidental Invention of the Flaked Cereal
Dr. John Harvey Kellogg and Will Keith Kellogg accidentally discover the process for creating toasted wheat flakes when stale boiled wheat is run through the rollers at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, producing hundreds of individual, thin, delicious flakes that…
1906Kellanova
Founding of the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company
Following a bitter, irreparable feud with his brother over the commercialization and sweetening of the flake recipe, Will Keith Kellogg founds his own company, launching an aggressive marketing campaign to introduce the sugared corn flakes to the mass market,…
1919Danone
Danone founded in Barcelona
Isaac Carasso establishes Danone in Barcelona, Spain, producing yogurt as a medicinal product for children with digestive issues.
1928Kellanova
Launch of Kellogg's Rice Krispies
The enterprise introduces Rice Krispies, featuring the well-known 'Snap, Crackle, and Pop' marketing campaign, which becomes one of the most successful and enduring cereal brands in history, demonstrating the company's mastery of flavor innovation and characte…
1929Danone
Expansion to France
Daniel Carasso founds the Societe Parisienne du Yoghourt Danone in Paris, turning the Barcelona pharmacy product into a French consumer brand.
1941Danone
Entry 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.
1964Kellanova
Introduction of Pop-Tarts
The enterprise launches Pop-Tarts, an influential, shelf-stable, frosted fruit pastry that can be toasted, creating an entirely new category of convenient, on-the-go breakfast and snacking that becomes a high-margin cash cow for the company.
1966Danone
BSN formed through glass merger
Antoine Riboud merges glassmakers Souchon-Neuvesel and Boussois to create BSN, the industrial group that would later become Danone.
1970Danone
BSN 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.
1994Danone
Corporate 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.
2001Kellanova
Keebler Foods Acquisition
Kellogg acquired Keebler Foods, adding Cheez-It, Club and Town House crackers that later became core Kellanova snack brands.
2007Danone
Numico 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).
2012Kellanova
Acquisition of the Pringles Business from P&G
Kellogg acquired the global Pringles business from Procter & Gamble for $2.695 billion in cash, roughly doubling its international snacks business.
2017Danone
WhiteWave 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.
2017Kellanova
Steve Cahillane becomes CEO
Steve Cahillane became CEO of Kellanova in 2017. Shifted Kellogg toward snacks and emerging markets and left after the Mars close.
2021Danone
Antoine 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.
2023Danone
EDP 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.
2023Kellanova
WK Kellogg Co Spin-Off and Kellanova Name
On October 2, 2023, Kellogg Company spun off its North American cereal business as WK Kellogg Co and renamed itself Kellanova.
2024Danone
Renew 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).
2024Kellanova
Mars Agrees to Buy Kellanova
On August 14, 2024, Mars agreed to acquire Kellanova for $83.50 per share in cash, about $35.9 billion. Shareholders approved the deal on November 1, 2024.
2025Danone
FY2025 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.
2025Kellanova
Mars Completes Acquisition of Kellanova
Mars completed its acquisition of Kellanova on December 11, 2025, integrating Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, RXBAR, Rice Krispies Treats, and Kellogg's international cereal brands into Mars Snacking.
2026Danone
H1 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.
Acquisitions
Danone
- Huel2026Undisclosed
- Kate Farms2025Undisclosed
- WhiteWave Foods Company2017$12.5B
- Royal Numico N.V.2007$12.3B
Kellanova
- RXBAR (Chicago Bar Company)2017$600M
- Pringles Global Business (from P&G)2012$2.7B
- Keebler Foods2001Undisclosed
- Kashi2000Undisclosed
Questions about Danone vs Kellanova
Who is the CEO of Danone S.A. and Kellanova?
Danone S.A. is led by Antoine de Saint-Affrique and Kellanova is led by Andrew Clarke. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was Danone S.A. founded vs Kellanova?
Kellanova was founded in 1906 — 13 years before Danone S.A., which was founded in 1919. Kellanova's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Danone S.A..
How many employees does Danone S.A. have compared to Kellanova?
Danone S.A. employs approximately 90,000 people, while Kellanova employs approximately 23,000. Danone S.A. has the larger workforce at 90,000 employees, compared to Kellanova's 23,000. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are Danone S.A. and Kellanova headquartered?
Danone S.A. is headquartered in France and Kellanova is headquartered in United States. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded Danone S.A. and Kellanova?
Danone S.A. was founded by Isaac Carasso. Kellanova was founded by Will Keith Kellogg, John Harvey Kellogg.
Which company has a longer operating history — Danone S.A. or Kellanova?
Kellanova has been operating for approximately 120 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Danone S.A. has been in operation for around 107 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Danone vs Kellanova overview