Danone Announces Closure of Blédina Infant-Cereal Plant in France

Danone has announced the closure of its Blédina infant-cereal production plant located in Villefranche-sur-Saône, within the Rhône department of France. This decision will impact 117 employees, as confirmed by the company in a statement to Just Food. The plant is responsible for producing Blédine and Phosphatine brands, primarily distributed in Europe and Africa. The latter brand is specifically targeted at combating anaemia among children in Africa.

The decision to close the French facility stems from a decade-long decline in activity within a challenging market environment. Despite substantial investments over the past ten years aimed at modernizing the site, Danone cited the economic unsustainability of continuing operations there.

Danone has indicated that production from the Blédina site might be transferred to its facility in Opole, Poland, ensuring continued production of infant cereal. Furthermore, Danone emphasized its commitment to providing alternative employment opportunities for the affected staff, preferably within France and the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.

To support the transition, Danone plans to offer training programs and create a 'career transition campus' for the employees. Discussions regarding these opportunities will involve employee representatives to align with individual aspirations.

Earlier this year, Danone also announced the closure of a dairy production site in Ochsenfurt, Germany, affecting 230 jobs. Meanwhile, the company reported a 4.8% increase in like-for-like sales for the third quarter, amounting to €6.88 billion, with Europe's sales growing by 2.6%.