Danone has launched its first non-GMO verified yoghurts

Danone has launched its first very non-GMO verified yoghurts, a year after the company made a pledge to promote sustainable agriculture, transparency and ‘natural’ ingredients.

The French multinational announced that its Dannon Whole Milk Yoghurts and Plain Quarts, as well as Danimals Smoothies, are now Non-GMO Project verified.

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The products will now feature the Non-GMO Project Verified seal with its recognisable butterfly icon. The seal signifies that these products are made from milk from cows that were fed non-GMO feed.

“We hear that consumers increasingly want to know what’s in the products they buy and how they’re made,” said DanoneWave’s yoghurt team president Sergio Fuster.

“One of the ambitions of the Dannon Pledge was to provide consumers with yoghurt choices that support the transparency they have been asking for.

By working closely with organizations like the Non-GMO Project, we’re offering consumers more food choices that match their preferences.”

To qualify for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal, Dannon has worked closely with farmers and suppliers to meet the rigorous evaluation process by the Non-GMO Project.

Megan Westgate, Executive Director of the Non-GMO Project, said: “At the Non-GMO Project, we’re dedicated to building and protecting a non-GMO food supply and providing consumers with non-GMO choices.

“Aligning with a large and respected brand like Dannon is an incredible opportunity to inspire change across the industry to provide more non-GMO food choices to U.S. consumers.”

It is estimated that 80,000 acres of US farmland is needed to create the new supply of cow feed and Dannon has relied on expertise and guidance from the non-profit organisation Green America to help develop that supply.

“The scale at which Dannon is working is impressively large and we are pleased to be able to assist them to find the right partners to work with to ensure that America’s leading yogurt maker continues to bring new choices to shoppers, while deepening their sustainability practices,” said Alisa Gravitz, president and CEO of Green America.