Calyon is one of Danone’s most favored banks. We have worked with the company for many years as it expanded internationally, as is true for all our large corporate clients. Along with this working relationship, we share a common vision of economic and social values with the entire Crédit Agricole Group. An example of this is our role in implementing the new social investment fund, “danone.communities,” which was built alongside Mohamad Yunus and Grameen Bank. Our Group worked with Danone at each stage of this project: design, creation of the fund and fund-raising. We are also co-investors. The fund is designed to support innovative projects in developing countries.

Numico has two businesses: infant nutrition and clinical nutrition. Danone was already very active in infant nutrition with Blédina, especially in France, while Numico has a great international presence, especially in high-growth emerging markets. Numico will enable Danone to grow through a new business line, clinical nutrition, a high-growth, high-margin business that is particularly crisis-resistant – just like infant nutrition.