Danone in African venture

French dairy giant Danone and east African dairy Brookside have signed an agreement allowing Danone to buy a 40% interest in Brookside’s holding company. With 2013 revenues of around €130 million, Brookside is East Africa’s leading dairy products group. Established in Kenya in 1993, Brookside operates a unique distribution platform enabling a daily access to over 200,000 outlets. The company manages the largest milk collection network in East Africa, with 140,000 farmers in the region.
The partnership will enable Brookside’s growth acceleration by expanding its product portfolio and strengthening its geographical presence in key markets in the East African region, including Uganda and Tanzania. This partnership will also significantly enhance the platform Danone is currently building in Africa, the company says.