The History of Danone
At the start of the 20th century, hundreds of thousands of people in Spain were suffering from digestive health issues, caused in part by malnutrition. It was the plight of Spanish children in particular that inspired Isaac Carasso, a Greek immigrant living in Barcelona, to take interest in the work of Élie Metchnikoff (also spelled “Ilya” Metchnikoff). Metchnikoff was a Nobel Prize winner and considered by many to be “the father of innate immunity.” It was this interest in Metchnikoff’s work that led Carasso to advocate for the health benefits of yogurt. Carasso believed that this traditional fermented dairy product of the Balkans would be able to tackle the widespread nutritional problems that he witnessed in his adopted home.
Applying cutting-edge science from the world-leading Pasteur Institute to his Balkan yogurt, Carasso began his journey of studying, mastering, and improving yogurt to tackle malnutrition among children in Spain.
He named his company “Danone,” after his son Daniel, who would later continue this mission. Isaac initially sold Danone yogurt through pharmacies as a medicinal product. It quickly gained a reputation for its quality and health benefits, helping establish Danone as a trusted brand in Spain and paving the way for its expansion.
Photo credit: Sandro di Carlo Darsa - Tigre
