The world’s largest maker of yogurt, Danone, has just bought 40 percent of Brookside Dairy Ltd. in Kenya in an effort to expand its presence in Africa. Nine months ago, it acquired a stake in a Ghanaian milk producer. Brookside is East Africa’s biggest dairy manufacturer.
The latest purchase was for an undisclosed sum and it will allow Brookside to expand its product portfolio and its presence in Uganda and Tanzania, the Paris-based company said in an e-mailed statement, reports Bloomberg. In October, Danone inked a partnership deal with Dubai-based private equity firm Abraaj Group to acquire Fan Milk International of Ghana.
“The partnership will significantly enhance the platform Danone is currently building in Africa,” the company said.
Brookside has annual revenue of about $176 million andalso manages the largest milk-collection network in East Africa that is supported by more than 140,000 farmers. The executive chairman is Muhoho Kenyatta, the younger brother of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
