Danone USA invests in its Ohio yoghurt facility

USA – Danone USA, a leading American food and beverage company, has announced the expansion of its Minster, Ohio yoghurt facility, a producer of brands such as Oikos, Activia, Dannon and Danimals.

The multi-million-dollar investment includes a nearly 48,000-square-foot facility expansion, as well as a new production line and upgrades to existing lines, creating 30 new full-time jobs in the region. 

Dan Magliocco, President, Danone North America, said, “Our commitment to American manufacturing runs deep, with 90 per cent of our ingredients and packaging materials bought here. Fulfilling our Mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible, means producing nutrient-rich foods with U.S. ingredients in American factories that are benefiting local communities. I want to thank our team at Minster and our many partners in the Ohio community, including Governor DeWine, for their hard work to get to this point, and for the work to come as we expand this great facility.”

The yogurt category is experiencing explosive growth driven by consumers seeking more nutrient-dense foods that are high in protein and rich in nutrients and probiotic benefits. This investment in the Minster Yogurt facility offers expanded capacity to address that consumer demand. 

To meet this increasing demand and output, Danone will purchase 60 percent more milk for the Minster yogurt facility over the next couple years, which will include working with existing producer partners to increase their production and onboarding new local farms into the Danone family.

For nearly a decade, Danone has partnered with dozens of farmers across the U.S. to source the ingredients that go into the nutritious products consumers love.

Danone’s enhanced facility will also create approximately 30 new, full-time jobs in Ohio’s Golden Triangle region — a hub of American manufacturing strength — with competitive wages and comprehensive benefits, including Danone’s parental bonding leave policy, which enables all employees with one year of tenure to take up to 18 weeks of paid time off after the birth or adoption of a child. 

Heiko Gerling, Chief Operations Officer for Danone North America added: “We are excited to continue growing our team and presence in Minster, Ohio. This is the latest example of our 80+ years of investments in American food, its economy and the farming partners that sustain our food systems – and this closely follows our recent investment in Jacksonville, Florida.”

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