Danone’s science hub in Tres Cantos (Madrid), which brings together scientific research, technological innovation and industrial excellence, and which the French company describes as “unique in the world”, is set to be boosted by a planned investment of nearly 40 million euros over the next two years. The aim is to drive innovation based on science and health.

Tres Cantos is home to the Danone Group’s only facilities that house a production plant and an R&D centre on the same site: the International Technological Innovation Centre. It directly employs a total of more than 170 people. The new plan aims to drive growth, also building on the investments made in recent years. As part of the roadmap, a new production line is planned to strengthen Danone’s growth in health-related areas.

Innovations and technology development
The Technological Innovation Centre has a semi-industrial plant that accelerates the development of innovations and technologies, with a particular focus on the efficient processing of proteins. More than 30 global projects are spearheaded from this hub each year. Product ranges now available on the European market, such as YoPRO and Skyr, have been developed at its facilities using technology protected by five patents.

The transformation of the hub cements its position as a strategic centre for Danone, which has recently signed an agreement with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) to promote the review and generation of scientific evidence in key areas of health, such as the link between probiotics in yoghurt and kefir and the gut microbiota balance.

Real impact for people
Danone CEO François Lacombe said, “With this investment, we are taking a decisive step forward in our industrial transformation in Spain, strengthening a model that places science, health and innovation at the heart of our strategy. This science hub is the finest expression of who we are at Danone: science-driven innovation that delivers a real impact for people, the environment and economic and social development.”

Danone arrived in Barcelona in 1919 and has also had a presence in the Community of Madrid for more than a hundred years, where it sustains more than 5,800 jobs, including direct, indirect and induced employment. The Tres Cantos factory, with more than 30 years of history, is the agrifood company’s most sustainable dairy plant in Europe.

^{Photo: Danone}