From Revamping Coffee Traditions to Prioritizing Pets: Nestlé’s Surprising Food Innovations of the Past Year
In my capacity at Nestlé, I’m fortunate to witness firsthand the groundbreaking brand innovations spanning the spectrum of food and beverage, from Milan to Mexico and Singapore to Shanghai. As we embark on 2024, anticipating the future, I’m thrilled to unveil some extraordinary developments from Nestlé that will soon grace your shelves.
Our innovations and renovations serve as key drivers of growth within our company, and we’re elevating our impact with a team ethos: fewer, bigger, bolder. Around 30% of our business results stem from products launched or revamped in the last three years. We prioritize advancing our global brands, ensuring swift and extensive rollout through a strategy underscored by governance, speed, and scalability worldwide. Whether it’s enhancing taste, promoting well-being, or fostering a positive societal impact, here’s a glimpse into some of this year’s standout brand breakthroughs that fill me with pride.
Connecting KitKat Fans with Cocoa Farm Families Our KitKat team has recently accelerated innovation, broadening their seasonal and gifting offerings and venturing into the out-of-home market with products like pastries featuring a KitKat spread. Personally, I’m particularly fond of the KitKat with Lotus Biscoff.
A noteworthy achievement is KitKat Breaks for Good, the first chocolate bar crafted using cocoa from our Income Accelerator Program. Our teams have diligently worked from farm to shelf on a new approach to farmer support and traceability, addressing the living income gap for cocoa farmers, combating child labor, promoting good agriculture practices, and fostering gender equality. The program’s pilot phase has benefited over 10,000 families in Côte d’Ivoire and expanded to encompass 30,000 families in Ghana this year. Our aim is to reach the 160,000 cocoa farming families in our supply chain by 2030. The KitKat Breaks for Good edition debuted in January in 27 European countries, enabling consumers to participate in our sustainability initiatives. I applaud the team’s achievement with this new release because it merges two essential Nestlé strengths: our close collaboration with farmers and dedication to a just transition in our food systems, alongside a profound connection and creativity with our consumers, rendering sustainability meaningful and compelling.
Crafting the Ultimate Cup of Coffee, from Flavor Profile to Transformed Capsules The enduring enthusiasm for cold coffee knows no bounds, experiencing a surge in popularity. Nescafé, in response, continues to innovate, exploring fresh formats and occasions for savoring their beloved brews. A recent standout is the Nescafé Ice Roast, a groundbreaking creation tailored specifically for consumption with cold water or milk over ice, crafted from sustainably grown 100% Robusta coffee beans. And the taste? Prepare to be dazzled. The team meticulously tailored the roasting profile to achieve a lightly roasted soluble coffee with a velvety texture and cocoa notes, making it perfect for cold consumption.
