Danone Manifesto Ventures invests in Harmless Harvest,
a U.S. leader in the Premium Coconut Water Category
Paris, February 1st, 2018 - Danone Manifesto Ventures today announces it has taken a stake in Harmless Harvest, a leader in U.S. refrigerated premium coconut water and a Fair for Life certified organic producer. Danone's venture arm has led a $30 million USD investment round, alongside Mousse Partners as well as other existing and new shareholders. This investment builds on Danone Manifesto Ventures' commitment to support companies at the forefront of tomorrow's food trends.
Harmless Harvest markets fresh organic coconut water, produced through an exclusive micro-filtration process, resulting in a unique product experience. It has obtained the Fair for Life - social and Fair Trade - certification which recognizes the company's sustainable business practices promoting social, agricultural and environmental progress. Founded in 2010, Harmless Harvest has become the undisputed leader of the fast-growing premium coconut water category in the U.S. It responds to the growing demand from consumers for natural and healthy beverages.
Harmless Harvest secured a total of $30 million USD in growth capital. While including Mousse Partners as well as other existing and new shareholders like AccelFoods, the investment round was led by Danone's venture arm, allowing Danone to build on its existing stake in Harmless Harvest.
"Harmless Harvest is a unique U.S. brand with a strong consumer base and a great growth potential in the attractive plant-based category. Harmless Harvest and Danone have highly aligned values combining business growth ambitions with a commitment to healthier nutrition and sustainable business practices. We look forward to leveraging our expertise and resources to help Harmless Harvest reach its full potential, while maintaining the unique DNA that has enabled its success", said Laurent Marcel, Managing Director of Danone Manifesto Ventures.
Harmless Harvest intends to use the investment to support its growth initiatives by increasing and optimizing sustainable production capacity, raising brand awareness and expanding distribution to meet growing consumer demand for refrigerated premium coconut water.
About Danone Manifesto Ventures (www.danoneventures.com)
Launched at the end of 2016, Danone Manifesto Ventures is the venture arm of Danone, bringing the Danone Manifesto to life by partnering with a tribe of disruptive entrepreneurs and innovative food and beverages companies that share its vision of a healthy and sustainable future. Through this unit, Danone makes investments and provides financial and operational support to its portfolio companies through access to its experienced teams around the world, while preserving the autonomy required to grow their entrepreneurial project. To this day, Danone Manifesto Ventures has completed direct investments including Michel et Augustin and Yooji in France, along with Farmer's Fridge, Kona Deep and Harmless Harvest in the United States. Danone Manifesto Ventures has also established two partnerships with AccelFoods and Cassius Family.
About Danone (www.danone.com)
Dedicated to bringing health through food to as many people as possible, Danone is a leading global food company built on four business lines: Essential Dairy and Plant-Based Products, Early Life Nutrition, Waters and Medical Nutrition. Through its mission and dual commitment to business success and social progress, the company aims to build a healthier future, thanks to better health, better lives and a better world, for all its stakeholders-its more than 100,000 employees, consumers, customers, suppliers, shareholders and all the communities with which it engages. With products being present in over 130 markets, Danone generated sales of approximately €22 billion in 2016. Danone's brand portfolio includes both international brands (Activia, Actimel, Alpro, Danette, Danonino, Danio, evian, Volvic, Nutrilon/Aptamil, Nutricia) and local brands (Aqua, Blédina, Cow & Gate, Bonafont, Horizon Organic, Mizone, Oikos, Prostokvashino, Silk, Vega). Listed on Euronext Paris and present on the OTCQX market via an ADR (American Depositary Receipt) program, Danone is a component stock of leading social responsibility indexes including the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, Vigeo, the Ethibel Sustainability Index, MSCI Global Sustainability, MSCI Global SRI Indexes and the FTSE4Good Index.
About Harmless Harvest (www.harmlessharvest.com)
Founded in 2010, Harmless Harvest delivered the first-ever minimally processed organic coconut water while becoming Fair for Life certified-meaning that it meets rigorous and independent standards for environmental sustainability and provides fair wages, healthcare, and well-being assurance for every farmer and employee both abroad and in the U.S. Harmless Harvest's unique ecosystem-based business model also includes investing in the rural Thai communities where their coconuts are grown. From seed to shelf, the team at Harmless Harvest is committed to sharing the welfare they create and touching more lives with delicious, organic foods that are produced and traded with fair and sustainable business practices that promote social, agricultural, and environmental progress.
