09 Update : Baby Nutrition
Vietnam - Dumex posts record growth
After five straight years of double-digit growth, Dumex posted another 50% sales increase in 2009- the product of a strategy geared around the super-premium market. Already number three in this segment, Dumex will use the next few years to bolster the group's position in Vietnam by launching more affordable products with greater mass-market appeal.
Danone is market leader for baby nutrition in Indonesia, China, Malaysia and Thailand, and our Dumex brand ranks second in the Asia-Pacific region as a whole.
Chine - Bebelac powers new segment
Launched in a single province for a six-month test in the premium segment of the infant formula market, Bebelac rapidly won 10% market share. The brand made its debut in nine Chinese provinces in 2009, and promises to be another growth engine for Nutricia in China. Bebelac joins Dumex, our umbrella brand, which leads the pack with 40% market share in the super-premium segment.
30 scientific articles were published
in specialized international journals by Danone Baby Nutrition researchers in 2009.
France - Blédina: rising star in a sagging market
With volume down 2.6%* overall, 2009 was a challenging year for the French baby food industry. But market leader Blédina proved more resilient than competitors, pushing its market share up 1.8 points to 49.4% and widening its lead over its closest rival, at 22.9%. That's cause for optimism in 2010, especially since Blédina plans to launch a number of innovative projects this year. These include prenatal positioning for Laboratoire Gallia, work on a new range to complement existing baby foods in jars and prepared dishes sold in plates/bowls, and our constant quest for innovations that bring Danone products closer to homemade-all to make life simpler for mothers.
* ( Source: Nielsen en CAM).
R&D - Baby nutrition and metabolism
Recent studies show that infant and early childhood nutrition can play a crucial role in adult metabolic health, with specific nutritional ingredients and compositions influencing predispositions for chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, asthma, and heart disease. Danone's Baby Nutrition division is participating in several research programs designed to increase understanding of human metabolic programming. New insights into the benefits of breast milk will help our researchers improve infant formulas.
Success for Aptamil and Cow & Gate
Baby nutrition brands Aptamil and Cow & Gate posted record growth in the UK last year, with Cow & Gate increasing market share from 33.4% to 35%, and Aptamil rising from 22.3% to 28.9%. Sales were up 17% for the two brands-and with no price adjustments, all of the gains came from increased sales volumes. The secret of their success? Both repositioned themselves more clearly within their markets: Aptamil helps the youngest children grow by offering high-quality formulas adapted to each age group, while Cow & Gate provides a complete care concept, with products ranging from infant formulas to balanced meals for older children.
Indonesia - Working with midwives to
improve public health
Promoting best practices in nutrition and hygiene for newborns and their mothers is the heart of Srikandi, a program launched by Sari Husada, one of our Baby Nutrition units in Indonesia. With mortality rates high- 35 per 1000 for children and 3.07 per 1000 for mothers-better public health means longer, better lives. Srikandi relies on a network of 110,000 midwives to disseminate lifesaving public health information, especially in isolated rural areas. In the program's education component, midwives study infant nutrition, learn how to advise mothers on breastfeeding, and visit model maternity hospitals. A second component instills personal initiative: trainees, who number 6000-7000 a year, are encouraged to submit practical ideas for reducing infant mortality or improving nutrition or hygiene. By late 2009, 500 projects had been submitted, 150 selected, and 83 implemented with funding from Sari Husada. Run in partnership with the Indonesian government, Srikandi has won several honors, including one recognizing its contribution to the Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations.
Video of Christian Neu