Danone Branding Strategy in China

Abstract

This paper analyses the branding strategy of a leading French food producer in the fast growing Chinese market. The company, Danone Group (DG), has long been operating internationally with success. However, like several multinational enterprises, its initial entry into China was a failure. Nevertheless, DG later succeeded in gaining a dominant position by rethinking its commercial approach. This discussion focuses on DG's branding strategy in its three main product lines: dairy products, biscuits and beverages. Overall, the analysis shows how success can be achieved if brands (and other product attributes) are customised when operating in a different culture. This process of adaptation has been implemented without negating links to the corporate brand.