Danone has inaugurated its new innovation hub in Aldaya (Valencia), a centre that it wants to turn into a spearhead for the transformation process that the food company is undertaking to gain agility and improve the specialisation of its processes. The Valencian plant is, in fact, an example of the exporting power within the group, given that 52% of its production is destined for countries like Portugal, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.

The new Valencian innovation hub is one of Danone’s most modern facilities worldwide. In the last five years, the group has invested over 60 million euros to make this plant an industrial benchmark in Europe and to put science and innovation at the heart of its strategy.

Efficiency, agility and sustainability
A complete ecosystem has been created at the new facilities that includes the entire work chain, from the manufacturing of packaging to the production plant and distribution centre, all in the same space. A circular economy model has thereby been generated throughout the value chain, improving efficiency, agility and sustainability across all processes.

Danone claims that the hub is unique in its industry for several reasons, including a high level of specialisation in the production lines, cutting-edge technology that puts it at the forefront of the most efficient processes and a great capacity to generate new processes and products. As a result, this plant currently manufactures the most advanced products in its class in terms of research and functionality. Over 180 innovation projects leave this space every year.

Job creation
With the opening of this centre, the company has now created more than 1,200 jobs, both direct and indirect, in the Valencian Community, where it has had a presence for over 60 years. This plant is also an example of sustainability, housing one of the group’s largest solar energy installations worldwide. In the last five years, it has in addition reduced milk emissions by 20%, CO₂ emissions by 14% and water consumption per tonne produced by 12%.

General Manager of Danone Iberia, François Lacombe, says that Aldaya is much more than a plant for Danone, “It is a meeting point between our history, our commitment to innovation and our vision for the future. This new hub is already a benchmark in Europe, synonymous with efficiency, sustainability and leadership in key categories. Aldaya perfectly reflects how to take advantage of the immense knowledge we have in Spain in terms of innovation, technology, and agricultural and livestock tradition to put it at the service of our brands.”

The new innovation hub is connected to the group’s other R&D centres around the world, including two others in Spain: the Technology Centre in Tres Cantos (Madrid) and the Carasso Centre in Barcelona. The latter was Danone’s first factory in the world and has been transformed into a key space for innovation, with a pilot plant for developing new products, a laboratory for ferments and another specialised in packaging.

^{Photo: Danone}