Danone and Lazada start alliance in SEA

GLOBAL food company Danone and Lazada Group have signed a Strategic Regional Partnership for South East Asia. This new alliance will be for key product categories, where both companies can put together their expertise on shopper needs and behaviors, and bring convenience and compelling content to online consumers particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.  It will start with the food company's portfolio of brands for families and young children in the Early Life Nutrition category. Danone's Early Life businesses are already working together in Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore – participating in Lazada mega-campaigns such as Online Revolution on 11.11 (11 November) and 12.12 (12thDecember). The joint ambition, with a closer alliance, is to be able to offer parents an unparalleled level of service and delivery, including advice and information on the growth, development and nutritional needs of children.

Lazada's digital platforms will provide convenient ordering solutions, personalized service and exclusive content and events developed with Danone, thus fulfilling the best online shopper experience.

Eric van der Hoeven, Vice President Growth Through Engagement, Danone Early Life Nutrition, and Max Bittner, CEO of Lazada Group signed the strategic partnership on 24 November 2017 (Photo: Lazada Group)

"We have been working with Lazada for more than a year, and accelerating our partnership in the last six months," said  Eric van der Hoeven, Vice President Growth Through Engagement at Danone Early Life Nutrition. "We want to support all parents in their journey, and wherever we can, to help them make well-informed feeding decisions for their children at the critical moments in their growth and development. I am very pleased that our constructive collaboration so far will now be taken further in this Strategic Regional Partnership."

Max Bittner, CEO Lazada Group, said: "We are delighted to team up with Danone and their Early Life Nutrition team. Young parents live increasingly busy lives and are often confronted with information overload. Teaming up with a trusted brand like Danone reinforces Lazada's position as a source of quality products and enables us to serve the best, most relevant content, service and support for parents on their journey."

Pascal de Petrini, Danone Chairman Asia, said: "Danone recently introduced a new company signature -- One Planet One Health. We want to offer better and more responsibly sourced food choices to people, so that together, we can impact the eating habits and the health of every generation -- now and in the future. I am proud that we can now drive this ambition together with Lazada in our strategic markets in South East Asia, with its millions of active and engaged consumers."

The partnership will come into force by end of November, beginning with workshops bringing together the Danone and Lazada teams in the local countries in sharing insights and planning. The first visible consumer features jointly developed will be implemented on the Lazada websites in Thailand in December.