THE SUPPLY CHAIN INTERVIEW
Embracing supply chain disruption At Danone, supply chain resilience means having the structure, plans, agility and foresight that enable us to adapt quickly in the face of disruption,” explains Heiko,“ and continue to deliver high-quality, nutrition-powered products without compromise.”
This resilience is a“ core principle and behaviour” that runs right through Danone’ s value chain – and is clear in its ongoing investments.“ Year after year, we continue to emphasise resilience as a strategic priority,” he adds.
Digital tools, more automation and a manufacturing footprint that’ s spread out regionally all help Danone react faster when things go wrong, allowing the company to adapt quickly and keep its standards high.
“ These efforts ensure we can pivot during moments of disruption while staying true to our commitment to operational excellence. Disruptions are unavoidable – and let’ s face it, at times frustrating,” continues Heiko.“ They’ re a reality in any industry, but we view them as opportunities to learn, adjust and ultimately strengthen our operations.”
That learning curve isn’ t new for Danone. With more than 80 years in North America, the company has had to manage plenty of challenges. Over time, it has built a supply chain with enough flexibility and foresight to deal with what’ s ahead.
“ For instance,” Heiko says,“ during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we swiftly activated alternative sourcing strategies and rerouted logistics
to maintain continuity across our production sites.” He explains that experience informed Danone’ s early 2025 move to identify alternative suppliers and transport routes ahead of a threatened US dockworkers’ strike. These lessons are part of a bigger shift, which Heiko describes as“ future-ready” and“ antifragile,” shaped by technology investments that support long-term resilience. Whether it’ s data tools, automation or advanced scenario planning, the goal is to give the company sharper insight and faster reactions.
28 September 2025