In France, Danone Manifesto Ventures, a corporate venture capital unit financed by Danone, became a shareholder of Yooji, the French start-up aiming to revolutionize baby food by providing frozen portion-sized organic products. Yooji will continue to operate independently, with the development of the business remaining in the hands of its existing management team.
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 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 long-standing shareholders: Caravelle, a family-owned diversified industrial group, and Capagro, the first French venture capital fund dedicated to agriculture and food innovation.