Danone Ireland's Wexford plant picked to produce new baby food product line for UK and rest of Europe

In a boost for Danone's Irish operations, the French dairy and baby food giant is to produce Europe’s first pre-measured, packaged baby formula milk product at its manufacturing facility in Wexford

Danone is launching the new baby formula through its Aptamil product – initially in the UK before rolling it out across the rest of Europe.

French dairy and baby food giant Danone is to produce Europe’s first pre-measured, packaged baby formula milk product at its manufacturing facility in Wexford.

The company – which makes baby food at its production plants in Cork and Wexford and sells to China and other markets – has signed a manufacturing partnership with Japanese food maker Meiji.

The deal will utilise Danone’s formula milk recipes and Meiji’s patented tab production technology. It will be the first time baby milk has been sold in Europe in a pre-measured tab.

Danone is launching it through its Aptamil product – initially in the UK before rolling it out across the rest of Europe.

"We believe this format innovation has the potential to revolutionise the formula milk category in Europe,” said Jean Michel Lequin, director of Danone’s Wexford formula milk production facility.

It is also a huge boost for Danone’s Irish operations, with the Wexford factory alone employing 350 people. The Wexford plant produces dairy products for export to more than 40 countries.

The boost for Danone’s Irish operations comes amid turmoil for the French company, which is cutting jobs worldwide. 

This week, Danone said Emmanuel Faber would step down as chairman and CEO, ejected by the group's board after the group faced growing calls from some shareholders to replace him.

Junior agriculture minister Martin Heydon said the move underlines Ireland’s global reputation for food innovation.