Mengniu joins with Danone and adds fruit

French Groupe Danone is joining forces with China Mengniu Dairy Company in a joint venture to develop China’s largest dairy business.

Mengniu will own a 51% stake in the new venture, which will aim to raise dairy’s role in China as current dairy consumption is largely focused on urban areas, though this is set to change. Danone is already China’s largest bottled water packer, as well as the country’s top biscuit maker.
Mengniu Dairy is also expanding its range with an UHT milk containing real pieces of fruit.
Products come in strawberry, peach, coconut and aloe vera varieties, and are offered in CombiblocMini 250ml cartons with a drinking straw. Filling machinery company SIG adapted its CFA 112-32 high-speed filling machine, which has a maximum output of 12,000 packages per hour, for the project.
The top of each carton pack is ultrasonically sealed above the filling level after the product has been filled. They will be distributed in all major Chinese cities, and aimed primarily at young women.