Jakarta. Danone Indonesia announced Monday that the company had mobilized emergency aid to support thousands of people affected by major floods that have hit West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh.

The floods have forced families to evacuate, severed road links and disrupted local distribution networks, leaving some evacuation centres short of basic supplies. Danone said its immediate priorities are safe drinking water and child nutrition.

In the initial phase of the response, Danone channelled assistance through the Indonesian Red Cross (Palang Merah Indonesia), delivering thousands of cartons of Aqua bottled water and ready-to-drink Bebelac milk products for families in the hardest-hit areas. The company also provided cash support to help frontline emergency operations.

To widen its reach, Danone said it has expanded cooperation with government and humanitarian partners, including the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC), WWF, MNC Media Group, and Aqua’s distribution network across Sumatra. Through these partnerships, additional shipments of drinking water and nutrition products are being prepared to be deployed as needs evolve.

The floods have also affected the operations of local traders and distribution partners: some storage facilities were damaged, delivery routes were cut off, and distribution activity stalled. Danone said it is prioritising remaining viable distribution channels to ensure humanitarian supplies get through and to reduce interruptions in relief flows.

Local Danone teams in West Sumatra and North Sumatra have been conducting needs assessments, coordinating with regional authorities, and delivering aid using available local fleets. Company representatives said having teams on the ground has helped speed access to hard-to-reach communities and improved targeting of assistance.

“We are striving to ensure communities — especially children — continue to have access to necessities in this emergency,” Vera Galuh Sugijanto, Danone Indonesia’s vice president and general secretary, said in a statement. 

“Beyond distributing relief items, we are also supporting affected distributors and traders so that supply channels do not break down.”

Vera added that many Danone employees and partners’ families in Sumatra have also been impacted by the floods, underlining the importance of collaboration and solidarity across sectors to accelerate recovery.

Danone Indonesia said it will continue to coordinate with the Indonesian Red Cross, local governments, and humanitarian organizations to align relief efforts with on-the-ground needs and to ensure aid is delivered effectively.

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