By Charlotte Webster-
Nestlé chief executive Mark Schneider has today said that the company’s shift in focus towards health and wellness will be a “key pillar” of the business going forward.
It follows revelations a few weeks ago that more than 60% of Nestlé’s food and drinks portfolio do not meet health standards. The news was a knock on the credibility of the giant food company which supplies food products to hundreds of countries including the Uk. It has since led to closer scrutiny of Nestles products by researchers and food experts.
The Eye Of Media.Com has since been collaborating with food experts to thoroughly scrutinize Nestle’s products, particularly in the Uk, and will be keeping a close eye on the company’s progress of improving the health of its products.
Nestlé Canada announced on Wednesday that it will be investing $41.3 million in its London, Ont ice cream factory, increasing production capacity and resulting in 88 new jobs. Ice cream contains between 14 and 24 5 of sugar.
Selling food products with fat and sugar contents is not prohibited, provided the public are aware of the contents, and regulate their consumption of fat products. The 26,600-square-foot expansion is set to begin in September and be complete by 2023, the company says. The investment will also allow for 88 new hires at the factory, which currently employs over 800 employees.
The food company will also launch its new plant-based dairy alternative Wunda in UK and Irish supermarkets, which will go on sale on in Tesco and Co-op on the 28th of June.
Speaking on the second day of The Consumer Goods Global Summit about it plans to improve the health of its products, Nestle’s CEO said:
“This has been a strategic plan for a number of years and will continue to be one,” he said. “It got a one time shot in the arm as a result of COVID, but even if you leave that out, you see a fairly consistent growth patterns over the years – mid single digit at the very least and in some economies far more than that.
“This is not just a short term tactical reaction to COVID. Frankly, when you acquire a business, you’re paying for many years to come, you’re not paying for what happens in just one or two years. The long term prospects are going to be really important.”
Schneider was commenting during the Day Two of the Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit, which is taking place in a virtual setting this year.
Commenting at the Summit, Schneider added that Nestlé’s health push would also go beyond product development and acquisitions.
The second day of the Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit also saw presentations from Daniel Zhang, chairman and CEO of Alibaba Group, Frans Muller of Ahold Delhaize, Brian McNamara of GSK Consumer Healthcare, Laxman Narasimhan of Reckitt, James Quincey of The Coca-Cola Company and Judith McKenna of Walmart International, among others.
From a health perspective, there was also an analysis of the success of the Forum’s Collaboration for Healthier Lives project, which recently has sought to deliver health and wellness solutions to underprivileged consumers during the pandemic.
“For us to be successful demands that we create solutions that reach everyone inclusively, particularly those that are the most vulnerable,” commented Marcus Osborne, Senior Vice President of Health & Wellness Transformation at Walmart and Co-Chair of CHL.
“We opportunities to contribute to better health and wellness,” he said. “We also see new and interesting technology, to enable us to further personalise for example, or increase effectiveness.”
From a health perspective, there was also an analysis of the success of the Forum’s Collaboration for Healthier Lives project, which recently has sought to deliver health and wellness solutions to underprivileged consumers during the pandemic.
“For us to be successful demands that we create solutions that reach everyone inclusively, particularly those that are the most vulnerable,” commented Marcus Osborne, Senior Vice President of Health & Wellness Transformation at Walmart and Co-Chair of CHL.