Danone Manifesto Ventures invests in frozen organic baby food start-up Yooji
28 Sep 2017 --- Danone Manifesto Ventures has become a shareholder of Yooji, a French start-up that aims to revolutionize baby food by providing frozen portion-sized organic products. This investment is the fourth of Danone Manifesto Ventures in a year, with Danone noting that it builds on its commitment to support companies at the forefront of bringing about the alimentation trends of tomorrow.
Responding to baby foods demand
Founded in September 2012, Yooji responds to a growing demand from parents for high-quality, healthy baby meals which are easy and convenient, yet remain as close as possible to home-cooked meals.
All the company’s products are sourced from organic farms and cooked in France with 100 percent natural ingredients, without salt or additives. Its products are sold in more than 600 stores throughout France.
As part of Yooji’s capital-raising, Danone Manifesto Ventures joined forces with the company’s longstanding shareholders: Caravelle, a family-owned diversified industrial group, and Capagro, the first French venture capital fund dedicated to agriculture and food innovation.
Danone adds that the deal was completed in close collaboration with Blédina, the Danone-owned brand which it says continues to lead the French infant nutrition market.
Yooji will continue to operate independently, with the development of the business remaining entirely in the hands of its existing management team.
Danone Manifesto Ventures, launched at the end of 2016, is a corporate venture capital unit financed by Danone, with the mission of “supporting the development of innovative companies with high growth potential which share its vision of alimentation.” To this day, Danone Manifesto Ventures has completed four investments including Yooji and Michel & Augustin in France, along with Farmers Fridge and Accel Foods in the US.
