The Villecomtal-sur-Arros plant, the place Danone produced fruit yogurts designated for the French market, was re-opened as a devoted facility for the manufacture of Alpro-branded oat-based drinks.
The conversion took two years to finish and is a response to rising client demand for plant-based meals in France and the remainder of Europe. Based on Danone, 1 / 4 of French shoppers now establish as flexitarians – who eat each animal-based and non-animal meals – making the case for restructuring its operational footprint in France clear.
Danone runs a second plant devoted to Alpro product manufacture – in Issenheim, japanese France – and 4 in Europe, together with within the UK and Belgium.
The Villecomtal website can output greater than 300,000 liters of beverage per day for distribution in France and 26 different European markets, with 90% of the whole manufacturing designated for export.
The expansion of plant-based dairy options
In November 2021 when the corporate first introduced its intentions to transform the Villecomtal plant, Danone stated the French marketplace for plant-based meals had tripled in 7 years, and anticipated it to develop by additional 50% by 2025.
Based on the Good Meals Institute Europe, a suppose tank, plant-based milk was the main class in plant-based meals options by gross sales worth and unit gross sales in 2022. Plant-based milk options generated €2.21bn in gross sales in 2022, a development of seven% year-on-year and 19% since 2020. The class held a market share of 11% in milk, with oat, soy and almond the preferred varieties.
Whereas France is without doubt one of the largest markets for plant-based milk by way of gross sales worth – with €190m per-country gross sales in 2022 – Germany (€552m), Spain (€353m), Italy (€310m) and the UK (€309m) generated significantly extra and had greater per-capita spend.
In Europe. Danone’s Alpro is a market chief in plant-based milk options, with Oatly being its predominant competitor.
