In 2001,
Groupe Danone, a French food product company whose brands include
Evian bottled water and Danone/Dannon yogurt, purchased an initial 40% of Stonyfield shares. This was followed with additional purchases such that Group Danone owned the entire company by 2014.
Gary Hirshberg is chairman and former president and CEO of Stonyfield Farm. Through its Profits for the Planet program, Stonyfield gives 10% of profits to environmental causes. Its milk comes from New England and
Midwest dairy farmers through the
CROPP (
Organic Valley) cooperative. In 2003, Stonyfield Farm acquired
Brown Cow. In 2006, Stonyfield entered the French market with its Les 2 Vaches (The Two Cows) brand. It also expanded to
Canada, with yogurt produced in Quebec. In June 2007, Stonyfield Farm launched its first brand in the UK, Stony, Yogurt on a Mission, though the line has since been discontinued. An organic yogurt brand named Glenisk, however, was successfully launched in Ireland. On March 31, 2017,
Groupe Danone announced its intention to sell the Stonyfield subsidiary to avoid antitrust claims and to clear the way for the acquisition of more significant U.S. organic food producer
WhiteWave Foods. In July 2017 it was announced that Danone had agreed to sell Stonyfield to
Lactalis for $875 million. The sale was completed and Stonyfield is now entirely owned by a second French dairy giant. == Legal issues ==