Danone Romania, together with its partners, has completed a 7 million euro investment in the socio-economic project "A Chance for Your Family" in Zimnicea.

The main goal of the project is to stimulate local entrepreneurship in the dairy sector by providing support to small farmers to produce quality milk at European standards and to adopt regenerative agricultural practices.

Through the socio-economic project "A Chance for Your Family," launched in 2012, over 220 small households in the town of Zimnicea have become entrepreneurs, with the milk produced on their farms being delivered daily to the Danone yogurt factory in Bucharest. Danone purchases only Romanian milk, and 10% of the annual requirement comes from the "A Chance for Your Family" project.

This year, Danone Romania, together with the local partner, Polaris Group, which coordinates the collection center in Zimnicea, is collaborating with local authorities to open a specialized class in agricultural mechanics at the Theoretical High School in Zimnicea. The class will train 12 students to become specialists in the agricultural sector, which is highly necessary for the zootechnical sector. Danone will offer performance and social scholarships worth 5,000 euros annually.

"We are proud to announce that, for 12 years, through the social program 'A Chance for Your Family,' Danone Romania has not only demonstrated its firm commitment to society and consumers but also dedication to the development of the generations it has grown with for the past 25 years since producing yogurt at the dairy factory in Bucharest.

The 7 million euro investment and the integration of milk production from farms in Zimnicea into our supply and production chain underscore this dedication. Furthermore, the establishment of the specialized class in agricultural mechanics at the Theoretical High School Zimnicea is an important step in supporting education and preparing the future generation for an innovative and responsible agricultural industry.

We are delighted to be part of this joint effort and look with confidence and optimism towards the results we will achieve together, thus strengthening the foundation for a prosperous and sustainable future," said Cătălin Andreica, Milk Procurement & Project Manager, Danone Romania.

The Polaris Association, which manages the collection center in Zimnicea, has been a strategic partner for Danone for 25 years. Since 1999, Danone has been collecting milk from Zimnicea, marking the beginning of a sustainable partnership. Since 2012, Danone and Polaris have worked together to develop local milk production of quality, in accordance with European standards. This effort has been extended to include support for regenerative agriculture and education.

"We are delighted to be part of this valuable partnership, which marks an important step towards improving access to specialized education in agricultural mechanics for young people in our community. Polaris Group's contribution to equipping the new class with essential equipment and providing monthly scholarships to the 12 enrolled students reflects our firm commitment to the educational and professional development of future talents," said Iulian Branzoi, General Manager of Polaris Group.

"This initiative represents an extraordinary opportunity for students to build a solid career in a vital sector for our economy, and we are proud to support this initiative initiated by Danone and Polaris Group," said Mr. Pârvu Petre, Mayor of Zimnicea.

Through its activity, Danone has managed to build a responsible and sustainable business model, focusing on quality and regional economic development, reaffirming the company's commitment to working closely with local communities to ensure the best products for consumers. The Polaris milk collection center has been a Danone partner for 25 years. (Photo: Danone)