Arcor and Danone Announce Strategic Alliance in Argentina

In 2025, the company recorded sales of 27.3 billion euros, with a portfolio focused on dairy products, waters, and specialized nutrition. The new joint step between both companies reinforces a relationship that has lasted for more than two decades and is now deepening in one of the most relevant segments of mass consumption in Argentina. Grupo Arcor and Danone announced this Tuesday a strategic alliance in Argentina that includes the joint acquisition of the remaining 51% of Mastellone Hermanos and the creation of a joint venture to consolidate the dairy business in the country. The operation, which still must meet regulatory conditions, aims to integrate production, commercial, and logistics capabilities in a key market. The new corporate scheme will be focused mainly on the local dairy market and will integrate the operations of Danone Argentina, Mastellone Hermanos, and Logística La Serenísima. In this way, both companies are advancing in a long-term strategy that seeks to improve operational efficiency and accelerate the development of new products. The initiative is supported by the previous experience of both companies, which since 2005 have operated together through Bagley Latinoamérica, one of the main food companies in the region, with an industrial plant in Córdoba. The joint venture will concentrate production in 11 plants in the region (the only operational one in Córdoba is in Canals), where products such as milk, dulce de leche, cheeses, butter, yogurts, and desserts are made, expanding the reach of the category and its capacity for innovation. From the companies, they highlighted that the operation will allow building an integrated platform with greater scale and efficiency, in a context of transformation of consumption and the food industry. The CEO of Danone, Antoine de Saint-Affrique, stated that 'this alliance reinforces our commitment to the Argentine market and Latin America,' and added that the combination of capabilities will allow for 'greater opportunities for innovation and operational efficiency.' In the same vein, the president of Grupo Arcor, Alfredo Pagani, pointed out that the joint venture will allow 'leveraging the commercial capacity, operations, and best practices of both companies,' with the objective of accelerating growth and developing differentiated products. The operation will be channeled through Bagley and is part of a strategy that seeks to deepen alliances to boost the mass consumption business. The agreement also reflects the intention of both companies to strengthen their positioning in a dairy market that faces changes in demand, costs, and consumption habits. Mastellone Hermanos, with more than 90 years of history, is one of the main players in the Argentine dairy sector, with recognized brands and a strong presence throughout the country. The integration with Arcor and Danone will allow combining industrial scale, distribution network, and brand development, in a scheme that aims to gain competitiveness in the local market. The joint venture also opens the possibility of new growth opportunities in the valuation of the dairy business, with a focus on efficiency and expansion of the product portfolio. Additionally, the agreement is set in a context where companies seek greater integration to face economic volatility and challenges in the food sector. The company born in Arroyito closed the 2025 exercise with a positive overall result of $213,528 million, equivalent to 6% of sales, after registering losses of $66,818 million in 2024. It has 49 industrial plants, more than 20,000 employees, and presence in more than 100 countries. Last year, the company reached net sales of US$3.4 billion and consolidated its expansion through strategic alliances in different markets. Danone, for its part, is a global company present in more than 120 markets and with nearly 90,000 employees.