Danone is rethinking what better‑for‑you food looks like, shifting away from broadly boosting macronutrients toward science‑backed nutrition that prioritizes quality, digestibility, gut health and enjoyment, according to Susan Zaripheh, Danone North America’s chief research and innovation officer during Future Food-Tech San Francisco last month.
Quality and digestibility over macronutrient boosts
For Danone, the next stage of better-for-you food focuses on not just nutrient density, but the quality and digestibility of macros like protein and fiber. To that end, Zaripheh positions food companies not just as formulators, but as educators helping consumers understand increasingly complex nutrition claims.
“It’s been about grams – grams of protein – but we know it’s really about the quality of the protein that we need to deliver,” she said. “When you look on the label, grams tell you grams, but you should be reading beyond the grams.”
For example, the impact of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss on the food industry and consumer behavior is palpable – and proof that traditional nutrition thinking no longer works.
Focusing on developing smaller, nutrient-dense portions that maintain muscles and digestive health is no longer niche – it’s future-proofing.
As these drugs advance, users’ nutrition needs will change based on whether they’re increasing or reducing their dosage. Danone aims to support consumers who are looking to food, not pharmaceuticals, to support their long-term health goals, Zaripheh said.
Designing nutrition around real lifestyles
Zaripheh emphasizes Danone’s strategy to meet shoppers in their daily routines with textures, formats and flavors that they’ll not only consume, but continue buying because these products align with their daily lifestyles.
“What format do they want to consume? What’s the right texture that they want to receive this in? So, it’s beyond just nutrition,” she said.
Stacking nutrients for maximum impact
Zaripheh stresses how nutrients work together, not in isolation.
For example, protein, fiber and probiotics can support muscle retention and weight loss simultaneously – underscoring that stacking protein, fiber and microbiome support is a method to maximize.
“How do you bring it together to get the biggest bang for the bite or sip?” she asked.
Danone’s Oikos Fusion dairy drink, for example, contains a proprietary stack of protein (23 grams), prebiotic fiber (5 grams) and a patented blend of whey, leucine and vitamin D – highlighting a targeted formulation for consumers across their weight loss and health journeys that still provides enjoyment.
“But not only did we do it in a nutrition‑focused manner, but we also try to understand what is the sensory profile that that consumer wants. How thick and viscous should it be? How sweet should it be?" she elaborated.
Reclaiming nutritional nuance of the UPF debate
For food scientists, fortification and processing can work together, where processing methods can improve nutrition. But for many consumers, nutrition is getting lost in the UPF conversation leading to more confusion.
The real goal, Zaripheh says, is to maximize nutrition with minimal and purposeful processing.
“We sometimes lose the nutrition piece of that dialogue because it’s really about the processing,” she added.
