PARIS (Reuters) – France’s Danone, the world’s largest yoghurt maker, plans to change certainly one of its large French factories to plant-based drinks subsequent 12 months in a wager on fast-growing non-dairy milk options.

Danone mentioned in a press release on Wednesday it should make investments 43 million euros ($49 million) in 2022 to transform its Villecomtal-sur-Arros dairy plant in southern France right into a manufacturing web site of primarily oat-based drinks for its Alpro model.

This follows a 16.5 million euro funding this 12 months in its Alpro plant in Issenheim, japanese France.

Danone, proprietor of the Evian water and Activia yoghurt manufacturers, mentioned the French marketplace for plant-based meals has tripled in seven years and will develop one other 50% by 2025.

“We observe customers’ curiosity in plant-based recipes, that are a easy answer for many who need a extra diverse and diversified food regimen,” Danone France’s François Eyraud mentioned.

The manufacturing facility will likely be transformed within the autumn of 2022 and make its first Alpro-branded drinks from the second quarter of 2023.

Danone acquired Alpro in 2017 through its $12.5 billion acquisition of U.S. natural meals producer WhiteWave because it tried to capitalise on more healthy consuming tendencies https://www.reuters.com/article/us-danone-outlook-ceo-idUSKBN19D1GA.

In February, Danone agreed to purchase U.S. plant-based meals specialist Earth Island https://www.reuters.com/article/us-danone-m-a-idUSKBN2AJ0H3, in a deal that may assist it attain a goal of producing 5 billion euros ($6.1 billion) of plant-based gross sales worldwide by 2025.

($1 = 0.8839 euros)