Food innovations that spark the imagination: Planethic Group, Danone, Kerry Group

Food giant Danone consistently aligns with food market trends

Healthy, functional foods are not just a lifestyle choice - they represent a market worth billions. Analysts at Grand View Research anticipate growth from USD 98 billion to USD 168 billion by 2030 in Europe alone. Products focused on gut health and specialized nutrition are driving this development. The three companies, Danone, Kerry Group, and Planethic Group, are representatives of the leading trends shaping the functional food sector.

Danone is one of the established heavyweights in the industry. Headquartered in Paris, the Company is active in over 120 countries and generated revenue of around EUR 27.6 billion in 2024. The business model is based on three strong pillars: dairy and plant-based products, special nutrition, and water. With its "Renew Danone" strategy, the Company is focusing on high-growth segments such as protein and special nutrition. The medical nutrition segment in particular is benefiting from demographic change and promises high margins. Analysts see this focus as a defensive strategy to secure profitability in a competitive market. For investors, the stock is a kind of basic investment, but one that does not provide much momentum – over the past six months, the stock has risen by a meager 1.5%.

Kerry Group is hacking the sense of taste – but is it worth it for shareholders?

The outlook was even weaker for shareholders of Kerry Group during the same period – the stock lost around 14% over a six-month period. Although the Irish company often operates behind the scenes, it is one of the most important suppliers to the food industry. As a B2B provider, Kerry Group develops ingredients for food, beverages, and pharmaceutical products. Its innovative strength is reflected in its margins: with EBITDA growth of 16.1% in the first half of 2025, Kerry is well above the industry average. Its technological edge, for example, through its Tastesense sugar reduction technology, makes Kerry an indispensable partner for many manufacturers. Tastesense is Kerry's proprietary technology for reducing sugar and salt while enabling full-bodied flavor without the typical off-flavors of plant-based or reduced-calorie formulations. At a time when customers want to eat healthily but do not want to compromise on taste, Kerry's solutions are just what they need.

Planethic Group - Could "sliced milk" become the next stock market star in the US?

The Planethic Group, formerly known as Veganz, also aims to score points with its proprietary technology. The Company has transformed itself from a traditional producer to a digital FoodTech holding company, focused on scalable technologies, trademark rights, and e-commerce. The Veganz brand itself continues to represent vegan products. In addition, the Company develops plant-based alternatives to meat and cheese and has launched Mililk, an innovative 2D printing technology, that transforms milk alternatives, soups, and smoothies into solid sheets. The resulting flat sheets can be dissolved in water to instantly recreate the final product, such as oat milk or soup. Planethic plans to leverage this technology to score points in system catering in particular. The advantages are clear: longer shelf life, easy storage without the need for refrigeration, and portioning as required. The latter offers significant advantages, especially outside of metropolitan areas - sales of oat milk differ greatly between Berlin Mitte and rural regions such as the Sauerland. With Mililk, there are no more half-empty oat milk cartons being thrown away after closing time.

According to the Company, Planethic is considering strategic steps to raise capital. Discussions are underway with external investors at the subsidiary level (Mililk), as well as regarding a potential Nasdaq listing in the second half of 2026. The potential hidden in the Berlin-based company's balance sheet already became apparent in the first half of this year, when the sale of its stake in OrbiFarm generated around EUR 30 million in proceeds, staggered through the end of 2028. A 25% profit participation remains in place. In addition, Planethic holds IP Innovation Partners, a machinery supplier for 2D printing technology, and Suplabs, an e-commerce-oriented nutritional supplement company, in its portfolio.

Analysts confident – Is a comeback on the cards?

Analysts at First Berlin recently expressed confidence and issued a "Buy" recommendation with a price target of EUR 26. After a strong rally in the first half of the year, Planethic's share price has since consolidated. Given its contemporary products and technologies, exposure to the growing market for innovative foods, and the prospect of expansion into the US, investors may want to take a closer look at the share – a comeback cannot be ruled out.