The first certified neutral products will hit major supermarket chains in both countries before the end of the year.

Last week, Danone announced certification had been achieved for its Karicare Gold Plus+ Organic and Karicare Gold Plus+ a2 Protein Milk product ranges.

Certification was provided by The Carbon Trust, an independent certifying body, against the globally recognised PAS 2060 standard for carbon neutrality.

The products are the first to be certified as part of the company’s operational decarbonisation agenda, which will result in the entire Karicare portfolio being as carbon neutral by 2030.

The base powder for the products is produced at the French-owned food company’s Clydevale factory, where the country’s first dairy spray-drying plant powered exclusively by biomass fuel was recently commissioned.

Danone has also invested in regenerative agriculture research in New Zealand with partners Synlait and AgResearch.

The five-year study began in 2021 and will compare soil health on farms deploying a range of regenerative agriculture practices with farms using conventional practices.