Nestlé S.A. ([3] ) is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland. It has been the largest publicly held food company in the world, measured by revenue and other metrics, since 2014.[4][5][6] It ranked No. 64 on the Fortune Global 500 in 2017.[7] In 2023, the company was ranked 50th in the Forbes Global 2000.[8]
Nestlé's products include coffee and tea, candy and confectionery, bottled water, infant formula and baby food, dairy products and ice cream, frozen foods, breakfast cereals, dry packaged foods and snacks, pet foods, and medical food. Twenty-nine of Nestlé's brands have annual sales of over 1 billion CHF (about US$1.1billion),[9] including Nespresso, Nescafé, Nestea, Kit Kat, Smarties, Nesquik, Stouffer Corporation, Vittel, and Maggi. As of 2025, Nestlé has 335 factories, operates in 185 countries, and employs around 271,000 people.[10] It is one of the main shareholders of L'Oreal, the world's largest cosmetics company.[11]
Nestlé was formed in 1905 by the merger of Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, which was established in 1866 by brothers George Ham Page and Charles Page, and "Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé" founded in 1867 by Henri Nestlé.[12] The company grew significantly during World War I and again following World War II, expanding its offerings beyond its early condensed milk and infant formula products. The company has made a number of corporate acquisitions including Findus in 1963, Libby's in 1971, Rowntree Mackintosh in 1988, Klim in 1998, and Gerber in 2007.
Nestlé has faced longstanding criticism over its business practices. The company's promotion of infant formula in developing countries sparked a boycott in the 1970s for discouraging breastfeeding. It has also been accused of benefiting from child labor, forced labor, and deforestation in West African cocoa production, fined for price-fixing cartels and criticized for its water extraction practices.
History
1866–1900: Founding and early years
Nestlé's origin dates back to the 1860s, when two separate Swiss enterprises were founded that would later form Nestlé. In the following decades, the two competing enterprises expanded their businesses throughout Europe and the United States.[13]
Timeline
- 1866: Charles Page (US consul to Switzerland) and George Ham Page, brothers from Lee County, Illinois, established the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Cham, Switzerland. The company's first British operation was opened at Chippenham, Wiltshire in 1873.[14][15]
- 1867: In Vevey, Switzerland, Henri Nestlé developed milk-based baby food and soon began marketing it. The following year, Daniel Peter began seven years of work perfecting the milk chocolate manufacturing process. Nestlé had the solution, Peter needed to fix his problem of removing all the water from the milk added to his chocolate, thus preventing the product from developing mildew.
- 1875: Henri Nestlé retired; the company, under new ownership, retained his name as Société Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé.[16]
- 1877: Anglo-Swiss added milk-based baby foods to its products; in the following year, the Nestlé Company added condensed milk to its portfolio, which made the firms direct rivals.
- 1879: Nestlé merged with milk chocolate inventor Daniel Peter.[17]
- 1890: Henri Nestlé died.
Timeline
- 1866: Charles Page (US consul to Switzerland) and George Ham Page, brothers from Lee County, Illinois, established the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Cham, Switzerland. The company's first British operation was opened at Chippenham, Wiltshire in 1873.[14][15]
- 1867: In Vevey, Switzerland, Henri Nestlé developed milk-based baby food and soon began marketing it. The following year, Daniel Peter began seven years of work perfecting the milk chocolate manufacturing process. Nestlé had the solution, Peter needed to fix his problem of removing all the water from the milk added to his chocolate, thus preventing the product from developing mildew.
- 1875: Henri Nestlé retired; the company, under new ownership, retained his name as Société Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé.[16]
- 1877: Anglo-Swiss added milk-based baby foods to its products; in the following year, the Nestlé Company added condensed milk to its portfolio, which made the firms direct rivals.
- 1879: Nestlé merged with milk chocolate inventor Daniel Peter.[17]
- 1890: Henri Nestlé died.
1901–1989: Mergers
In the late 19th and early 20th century, Henri Nestlé and his successors participated in the development of the chocolate industry in Switzerland, together with the Peter, Kohler, and Cailler families.[18] In 1904, Daniel Peter and Charles-Amédée Kohler (son of Charles-Amédée Kohler who founded a chocolate factory in 1830) became partners and founded the Société générale suisse des chocolats Peter et Kohler réunis. In 1911, the company created by Peter and Kohler merged with Cailler.[19] Alexandre Cailler (grandson of François-Louis Cailler) had founded a chocolate factory in Broc in 1898, still used by Nestlé today; which enabled the production of milk chocolate on a large scale. In 1929, Peter, Cailler, Kohler, Chocolats Suisses finally merged with the Nestlé group.[20][21] An earlier alliance in 1904 between Peter and Nestlé also allowed the production of milk chocolate in the United States, at the Fulton plant.[22]
In 1905, Nestlé and Anglo-Swiss merged to become the Nestlé and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company, retaining that name until 1947 when the name 'Nestlé Alimentana SA' was taken as a result of the acquisition of Fabrique de Produits Maggi SA (founded 1884) and its holding company, Alimentana SA, of Kempttal, Switzerland. The company's current name was adopted in 1977. By the early 1900s, the company was operating factories in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain.[23] The First World War created a demand for dairy products in the form of government contracts, and by the end of the war, Nestlé's production had more than doubled.
In January 1919, Nestlé bought two condensed milk plants in Oregon from the company Geibisch and Joplin for $250,000. One was in Bandon, while the other was in Milwaukie. They expanded them considerably, processing 250,000 pounds of condensed milk daily in the Bandon plant.[24]
After the World War I, government contracts dried up, and consumers switched back to fresh milk. However, Nestlé's management responded quickly, streamlining operations and reducing debt. The 1920s saw Nestlé's first expansion into new products, with chocolate-manufacture becoming the company's second most important activity; white chocolate was created in the following decade. Louis Dapples was CEO till 1937 when succeeded by Édouard Muller till his death in 1948.
Nestlé felt the effects of the Second World War immediately. Profits dropped from US$20 million in 1938 to US$6 million in 1939.[25] Factories were established in developing countries, particularly in South America.[26] Ironically, the war helped with the introduction of the company's newest product, Nescafé ("Nestlé's Coffee"), which became a staple drink of the US military. Despite that, Nestlé actually supplied both sides in the war: the company had a contract to feed the German army. Nestlé's production and sales rose in the wartime economy.[26]
The end of World War II was the beginning of a dynamic phase for Nestlé. Growth accelerated and numerous companies were acquired. In 1947 Nestlé merged with Maggi, a manufacturer of seasonings and soups. Crosse & Blackwell followed in 1960, as did Findus (1963), Libby's (1971), and Stouffer's (1973).[28] Diversification came under chairman & CEO Pierre Liotard-Vogt with a shareholding in L'Oreal in 1974 and the acquisition of Alcon Laboratories Inc. in 1977 for $280 million.[28]
In the 1980s, Nestlé's improved bottom line allowed the company to launch further acquisitions. Carnation was acquired for US$3 billion in 1984 and brought the evaporated milk brand, as well as Coffee-Mate and Friskies, to Nestlé. In 1986, the company founded Nestlé Nespresso S.A. The British confectionery company Rowntree Mackintosh was acquired in 1988 for $4.5 billion, which brought brands such as Kit Kat, Rolo, Smarties, and Aero.[29]
1990–2011: International growth
The first half of the 1990s proved to be favourable for Nestlé. Trade barriers crumbled, and world markets developed into more or less integrated trading areas. Late 1990s acquisitions included San Pellegrino (1997), D'Onofrio (1997), and Spillers Petfoods (1998). In 1999, Nestlé sold the Findus brand to the Swedish firm EQT AB.[30][31]
In the early 2000s, acquisitions in North America included Ralston Purina (2002), Dreyer's ice cream, and a US$2.6billion acquisition of Chef America, the creator of Hot Pockets. In this period, Nestlé entered in a joint bid with Cadbury and came close to purchasing the American company Hershey's, one of its fiercest confectionery competitors, but the deal eventually fell through.[32]
In December 2005, Nestlé bought the Greek company Delta Ice Cream for €240 million.[33] In January 2006, it took full ownership of Dreyer's, thus becoming the world's largest ice cream maker, with a 17.5% market share.[34] In June 2006, Nestlé purchased weight-loss company Jenny Craig for US$600million.[35] In July 2007, completing a deal announced the year before, Nestlé acquired the Medical Nutrition division of Novartis Pharmaceutical for US$2.5billion and also acquiring the milk-flavoring product known as Ovaltine, the "Boost" and "Resource" lines of nutritional supplements, and Optifast dieting products.[36]
In April 2007, returning to its roots, Nestlé bought US baby-food manufacturer Gerber for US$5.5billion.[37][38][39] In December 2007, Nestlé entered into a strategic partnership with a Belgian chocolate maker, Pierre Marcolini.[40]
In late September 2008, the Hong Kong government found melamine in a Chinese-made Nestlé milk product. Six infants died from kidney damage, and a further 860 babies were hospitalised.[41][42] The following June, an outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 was linked to Nestlé's refrigerated cookie dough originating in a plant in Danville, Virginia.[43]
Nestlé agreed to sell its controlling stake in Alcon to Novartis on 4 January 2010. The sale was to form part of a broader US$39.3billion offer by Novartis, for full acquisition of the world's largest eye-care company.[44] On March 2, 2010, Nestlé completed the purchase of Kraft Foods's North American frozen pizza business for US$3.7billion, which included brands such as DiGiorno, Tombstone, and California Pizza Kitchen.[45][46]
Since 2010, Nestlé has been working to transform itself into a nutrition, health and wellness company, in an effort to combat declining confectionery sales and the threat of expanding government regulation of such foods. This effort is being led through the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences under the direction of Ed Baetge. The institute aims to develop "a new industry between food and pharmaceuticals" by creating foodstuffs with preventive and corrective health properties that would replace pharmaceutical drugs from pill bottles. The Health Science branch has already produced several products, such as drinks and protein shakes meant to combat malnutrition, diabetes, digestive health, obesity, and other diseases.[47]
It acquired British pharmaceutical company Vitaflo, which makes clinical nutritional products for people with genetic disorders, in August 2010.[48] In July 2011, Nestlé SA agreed to buy 60 percent of Hsu Fu Chi International Ltd. for about US$1.7billion.[49] On 23 April 2012, Nestlé agreed to acquire Pfizer Inc.'s infant-nutrition, formerly Wyeth Nutrition, unit for US$11.9billion, topping a joint bid from Danone and Mead Johnson.[50][51][52]
2012–present
In recent years, Nestlé Health Science has made several acquisitions: CM&D Pharma Ltd., a company that specialises in the development of products for patients with chronic conditions like kidney disease; and Prometheus Laboratories, a firm specialising in treatments for gastrointestinal diseases and cancer. It also holds a minority stake in Vital Foods, a New Zealand-based company that develops kiwifruit-based food products as of 2012.[53]
Nestlé sold its Jenny Craig business unit to North Castle Partners in 2013.[54] In February 2013, Nestlé Health Science bought Pamlab, which makes medical foods based on L-methylfolate targeting depression, diabetes, and memory loss.[55] In February 2014, Nestlé sold its PowerBar sports nutrition business to Post Holdings, Inc.[56] Later, in November 2014, Nestlé announced that it was exploring strategic options for its frozen food subsidiary, Davigel.[57]
In December 2014, Nestlé announced that it was opening 10 skin care research centres worldwide, deepening its investment in a faster-growing market for healthcare products. That year, Nestlé spent about $350 million on dermatology research and development. The first of the research hubs, Nestlé Skin Health Investigation, Education and Longevity Development (SHIELD) centres, will open mid 2015 in New York, followed by Hong Kong and São Paulo, and later others in North America, Asia, and Europe. The initiative is being launched in partnership with the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), a consortium that includes companies such as Intel and Bank of America.[58]
In May 2015, food safety regulators from the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, found that samples of Nestlé India's Maggi noodles had up to 17 times more than the permissible safe amount of lead, in addition to monosodium glutamate.[59][60][61]
In January 2017, Nestlé announced that it was relocating its US headquarters from Glendale, California, to Rosslyn, Virginia, outside of Washington, DC.[62]
In March 2017, Nestlé announced that they will lower the sugar content in Kit Kat, Yorkie and Aero chocolate bars by 10% by 2018.[63] In July, a similar announcement followed concerning the reduction of sugar content in its breakfast cereals in the UK.[64]
The company announced a $20.8 billion share buyback in June 2017, following the publication of a letter written by Third Point Management founder Daniel S. Loeb, Nestlé's fourth-largest stakeholder with a $3.5 billion stake,[65] explaining how the firm should change its business structure.[66] Consequently, the firm will reportedly focus investment on sectors such as coffee and pet care and will seek acquisitions in the consumer health-care industry.[66]
In 2016, Nestlé and PAI Partners establish a joint venture, Froneri, to combine the two companies' ice cream activities throughout Europe and other international countries.[67]
In March 2017, Nestlé and Coca-Cola agreed to dissolve the Beverage Partners Worldwide venture effective on January 1, 2018, in part because Nestlé wanted to expand Nestea on its own.[68]
In July 2017, Nestlé introduced a new type of infant formula in Spain, containing two human milk oligosaccharides.[69] Oligosaccharides are the third most abundant components of breast milk with various health benefits, but previously were not part of infant formula.
In September 2017, Nestlé S.A. acquired a majority stake of Blue Bottle Coffee.[70] While the deal's financial details were not disclosed, the Financial Times reported "Nestlé is understood to be paying up to $500m for the 68 per cent stake in Blue Bottle".[71]
In September 2017, Nestlé USA agreed to acquire Sweet Earth, a California-based producer of plant-based foods, for an undisclosed sum.[72]
Nestlé set a new profit target in September 2017 and agreed to offload over 20 of its US candy brands in January 2018. However, sales grew only 2.4% in 2017, and as of July 2018, the share price declined more than 8%. While some suggestions were adopted, Loeb said in a July 2018 letter that the shifts are too small and too slow. In a statement, Nestlé wrote that it was "delivering results" and listed actions it had taken, including investing in key brands and its global coffee partnership with Starbucks. However, activist investors disagreed, leading Third Point Management to launch NestleNOW, a website to push its case with recommendations calling for change, accusing Nestlé of not being as fast, aggressive, or strategic as it needs to be. Activist investors called for Nestlé to divide into three units with distinct CEOs, regional structures, and marketing heads - beverage, nutrition, and grocery; spin off more businesses that do not fit its model such as ice cream, frozen foods, and confectionery; and add an outsider with expertise in the food and beverage industry to the board.[73][74]
In January 2018, Nestlé USA announced it was selling its US confectionary business, including the 100 Grand, BabyRuth, Butterfinger, OhHenry!, Raisinets and SnoCaps to Ferrara Candy Company, an American-based chocolate and candy maker and Ferrero-related company.[75] The company was sold for a total of an estimated $2.8 billion.[75]
In May 2018, it was announced that Nestlé and Starbucks struck a $7.15 billion distribution deal, which allows Nestlé to market, sell and distribute Starbucks coffee globally and to incorporate the brand's coffee varieties into Nestlé's proprietary single-serve system, expanding the overseas markets for both companies.[76]
In September 2018, Nestlé announced that it would sell Gerber Life Insurance for $1.55 billion.[77][78]
In October 2018, Nestlé announced the launch of the Nestlé Alumni Network, through a strategic partnership with SAP & EnterpriseAlumni, to engage with their over 1 million alumni globally.[79]
In 2019, the company announced that it would publish Nutri-Score on all of its products sold in the European countries that supported the nutritional label.[80]
In 2020, Nestlé USA's and Nestlé Canada's ice cream divisions were acquired by Froneri.[81] Also during that year, Nestlé announced that the company wants to invest in plant-based food, starting with a "tuna salad" and meat-free products to engage and reach younger and vegan consumers.[82]
On 16 February 2021, Nestlé announced that it had agreed to sell its water brands in the US and Canada to One Rock Capital Partners and Metropoulos & Co. The sale would include the spring water and mountain brands, the purified water brand and the delivery service. The plan did not include the Perrier, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna brands.[83][84] In early April 2021, the sale was concluded.[85]
The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect Nestlé negatively. Due to lockdowns, people bought more packaged foods, not only coffee and dairy products, but also pet products, which increased the company's sales. Nestlé recorded its strongest quarterly sales growth in 10 years.[86]
In April 2021, Nestlé agreed to purchase the vitamin manufacturing Bountiful Company, formerly known as The Nature's Bounty Co., for $5.75 billion, noting as well that much of the company's growth that quarter came from "vitamins, minerals, and supplements that support health and the immune system". Bountiful's brands included Nature's Bounty, Solgar, Osteo Bi-Flex, and Puritan's Pride.[87][88][89]
In July 2021, Vitaflo International Ltd. (subsidiary to Nestlé Health Science since 2010) acquired the Dr. Schär brands, Mevalia and ComidaMed, which are used for the dietary management of IEM and cow's milk protein allergy to complement Vitaflo's existing IEM product portfolio.[90]
In January 2022, Nestlé announced that it would pay African cocoa farmers cash if they send their children to school.[91]
In May 2022, it was announced Nestlé's Health Science unit had acquired the Brazilian organic, natural, plant-based food maker Puravida.[92]
In May 2022, Nestlé was sending baby formula supplies to the U.S. from European air bases to ease the 2022 United States infant formula shortage. These relief shipments included products from the Gerber baby food formula brand from the Netherlands and Alfamino baby formula from Switzerland.[93]
In September 2023, it was announced Nestlé had acquired a majority stake in the Extrema, Minas Gerais-headquartered premium chocolate manufacturer, Grupo CRM for an undisclosed amount.[94]
Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company continued doing business in Russia; therefore in November 2023, Ukraine's National Agency on Corruption Prevention listed Nestlé as an International Sponsor of War. Nestle stated that it had already "halted all non-essential imports and exports to and from Russia".[95]
In February 2024, it was announced Nestle is expanding manufacturing capacity in India and increasing investments — the company will invest between ₹60-65 billion ($723–783 million) from 2020 to 2025.[96]
Nestlé announced Schneider would leave his position as CEO and be replaced by Laurent Freixe on September 1, 2024.[97]
In May 2025, Nestlé acquired an minority stake in Drools Pet Food in India.[98]
In September 2025, Nestlé announced the immediate dismissal of its chief executive, Laurent Freixe, following an investigation by its board that found he had an undisclosed romantic relationship with an employee.[99] The company's board initially launched an investigation following allegations of a relationship between Freixe and a direct report emerged in spring 2025 through an internal company hotline.[99] That investigation was inconclusive, but following persistent allegations that followed, the board began a second investigation which was led by the company's chair, senior independent director and an external firm.[99] After the investigation found a relationship took place, which Freixe initially denied, Freixe was dismissed by the board which concluded the relationship was in breach of its code of business conduct.[99] Freixe did not receive any remuneration on exit.[99]
Following the dismissal of Freixe, Nestlé appointed Philipp Navratil as its new chief executive saying "the board is confident that he will drive our growth plans forward and accelerate efficiency efforts.".[99] Navratil has held several positions across the company after joining in 2001.[99]
In September 2025, Nestlé announced Bulcke would leave his position as chairman of the board at the end of September, six months earlier than planned, as part of an accelerated management transition.[100]
In October 2025, Nestlé announced it would cut 16,000 jobs and assess the possibility of selling some of its 2,000-plus brands.[101]
On 18 December 2025, Nestle announced[102] the expansion of its Materna range, designed to support the post-birth recovery of mothers.[103] This is built on the existing range which was introduced in 2024 to support women's health including pre-conception.[104]
In January 2026, Nestle recalled infant formula products sold in Europe, Turkey and Argentina due to potential cereulide toxin contamination. Austria's health ministry described the recall as the largest recall in Nestle's history.[105] By 9 January, the recall had expanded to 49 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America.[106]
In March 2026, Nestle reached an agreement to sell Blue Bottle Coffee to Centurium Capital. At the time, Blue Bottle Coffee was operating at a loss.[107]
Corporate affairs and governance
Nestlé is the biggest food company in the world, with a market capitalisation of roughly 203 billion Swiss francs as of December 2025.[108] Nestlé has a primary listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange and is a constituent of the Swiss Market Index. It previously had a secondary listing on Euronext.
In 2025, consolidated sales were CHF 89.49 billion and net profit was CHF 9.03billion. Research and development investment was CHF 1.61billion.[10]
According to a 2015 global survey of online consumers by the Reputation Institute, Nestlé has a reputation score of 74.5 on a scale of 1 to 100.[109]
- Sales per category in CHF[10]
- 28.1% powdered and liquid beverages
- 10.8% milk products and ice cream
- 11.3% prepared dishes and cooking aids
- 16.0% nutrition and health science
- 20.6% pet care
- 9.7% confectionery
- 3.5% water
- Percentage of sales by geographic area breakdown[10]
- 48% from Americas
- 25% from Europe
- 27% from Asia, Oceania and Africa
Financial data
Joint ventures
Important joint ventures include:
- Cereal Partners Worldwide with General Mills for cereals (50%/50%)[112]
- Froneri with PAI Partners for ice cream (50%/50%)[113]
- Nestlé with PAI Partners for frozen pizzas in Europe[114]
- Nestlé with Starbucks global licensing agreement for consumer packaged goods, in particular coffee outside of Starbucks Cafés[115]
- Lactalis Nestlé Produits Frais with Lactalis (40%/60%)[116]
- Nestlé Indofood Citarasa Indonesia with Indofood (50%/50%)[117]
- Nestlé Snow with Snow Brand Milk Products (50%/50%)[118]
- Nestlé Modelo with Grupo Modelo for distribution of bottled water[119]
CEO
Chief executive officer:[120]
- 1981-1997 : Helmut Maucher;
- 1997-2008 : Peter Brabeck-Letmathe;
- 2008-2016 : Paul Bulcke;
- 2017-2024 : Ulf Mark Schneider;
- 2024-2025 : Laurent Freixe;
- 2025–present: Philipp Navratil.
Board of directors
As of 2025, the board is composed of:
- Pablo Isla, chairman
- Dick Boer, Vice Chair, Lead Independent Director, former president and CEO, Ahold Delhaize N.V.
- Marie-Gabrielle Ineichen-Fleisch, Vice Chair, former Director of the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)
- Renato Fassbind, former CEO of DKSH and former CFO of Credit Suisse
- Patrick Aebischer, former president of École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
- Dinesh Paliwal, former president and CEO, Harman International Industries Inc.
- Lindiwe M. Sibanda, Professor Extraordinary, University of Pretoria, RSA
- Luca Maestri, Vice President, Corporate Services, Apple Inc.
- Chris Leong, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer, Ecolab Inc.
- Rainer Blair, President and CEO, Danaher Corporation
- Geraldine Matchett, former Co-Chief Executive Officer and CFO, DSM-Firmenich[10]
Lobbying
The company engages third party lobbying firms to engage with parliaments and governments in various jurisdictions. For example, in South Australia the company engages Etched Communications.[121] In the US, Nestlé has a strong influence in Washington, D.C. From 2015 to 2020 their average spend on lobbying was $1,951,667 each year.[122]
Brands
Nestlé currently has over 2,000 brands[123][124] with a wide range of products across a number of markets, including coffee, bottled water, milkshakes and other beverages, breakfast cereals, infant foods, performance and healthcare nutrition, seasonings, soups and sauces, frozen and refrigerated foods, and pet food.[125] In 2019, the company entered the plant-based food production business with its Incredible and Awesome Burgers (under the Garden Gourmet and Sweet Earth brands). In 2020, Nestlé announced additional plant-based products including soy-based bratwurst and chorizo-like sausages.[126]
Sponsorships
Music and entertainment
In 1993, plans were made to update and modernise the overall tone of Walt Disney's EPCOT Center, including a major refurbishment of The Land pavilion. Kraft Foods withdrew its sponsorship on 26 September 1993, with Nestlé taking its place. Co-financed by Nestlé and the Walt Disney World Resort, a gradual refurbishment of the pavilion began on 27 September 1993.[127] In 2003, Nestlé renewed its sponsorship of The Land; however, it was under agreement that Nestlé would oversee its own refurbishment to both the interior and exterior of the pavilion. Between 2004 and 2005, the pavilion underwent its second major refurbishment. Nestlé stopped sponsoring The Land in 2009.[128]
On 5 August 2010, Nestlé and the Beijing Music Festival signed an agreement to extend by three years Nestlé's sponsorship of this international music festival. Nestlé has been an extended sponsor of the Beijing Music Festival for 11 years since 2000. The new agreement will continue the partnership through 2013.[129]
Nestlé has partnered the Salzburg Festival in Austria for 20 years. In 2011, Nestlé renewed its sponsorship of the Salzburg Festival until 2015.[130]
Together, they have created the "Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award", an initiative that aims to discover young conductors globally and to contribute to the development of their careers.[131]
Sports
Nestlé's sponsorship of the Tour de France began in 2001 and the agreement was extended in 2004, a move which demonstrated the company's interest in the Tour. In July 2009, Nestlé Waters and the organisers of the Tour de France announced that their partnership will continue until 2013. The main promotional benefits of this partnership will spread on four key brands from Nestlé's product portfolio: Vittel, Powerbar, Nesquik, or Ricore.[132]
On 27 January 2012, the International Association of Athletics Federations announced that Nestlé will be the main sponsor for the further development of IAAF's Kids' Athletics Programme, which is one of the biggest grassroots development programmes in the world of sports. The five-year sponsorship started in January 2012.[133] On 11 February 2016, Nestlé decided to withdraw its sponsorship of the IAAF's Kids' Athletics Programmes because of doping and corruption allegations against the IAAF. Nestlé followed suit after other large sponsors, including Adidas, also stopped supporting the IAAF.[134]
In 2014, Nestlé Waters sponsored the UK leg of the Tour de France through its Buxton Natural Mineral Water brand.[135] In 2002, Nestlé announced it was main sponsor for the Great Britain Lionesses Women's rugby league team for the team's second tour of Australia with its Munchies product.[136]
Nestlé supports the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) on a number of nutrition and fitness fronts, funding a Fellowship position in AIS Sports Nutrition; nutrition activities in the AIS Dining Hall; research activities; and the development of education resources for use at the AIS and in the public domain.[137]
Corporate initiatives
In March 2011, Nestlé became the first infant formula company to meet the FTSE4Good Index criteria in full.[138]
In 2021, recycling startup, Carbios, released a press release that showed a prototype of a food-grade PET plastic bottle made from enzymatically recycled plastic. The press release said Nestle (along with other companies) could manufacture these bottles using the Carbios technology. As of September 2024, however, it is unclear whether Nestle ever transitioned to these recycled materials beyond the prototype.[139][140]
Nestlé created the Creating Shared Value Prize, which is awarded every other year with the aim of rewarding the best examples of CSV initiatives worldwide and to encourage other companies to adopt a shared value approach. These initiatives should take a business-oriented approach in addressing challenges in nutrition, water or rural development. The winner can win up to CHF 500,000. Nestlé was an early mover in the shared value space and hosts a global forum, the Creating Shared Value Global Forum.[141][142]
Rural Development Framework program: In 2012, Nestlé developed the Rural Development Framework, which supports farmers and cocoa growing communities.[143] It is an investment program aimed at improving infrastructure, increasing access to safe water, address financing and market efficiency gaps, and improving labor conditions.[144]
Awards
Controversies
The company has been associated with various controversies, facing criticism and boycotts over its marketing of baby formula as an alternative to breastfeeding in developing countries (where clean water may be scarce), its reliance on suppliers that use child labour in cocoa production, and its production and promotion of bottled water.
Nestlé is involved in many significant controversies due to its reported involvement with
- incidents of contaminated and infested food products,
- actively spreading disinformation about recycling,
- illegal water-pumping from drought-stricken Native American reservations,
- preventing access to non-bottled water in impoverished countries,
- price fixing,
- slave labor,
- child labor,
- extensive union-busting activity, and
- deforestation.
Baby formula marketing
Concern about Nestlé's "aggressive marketing" of their breast milk substitutes, particularly in less economically developed countries (LEDCs), first arose in the 1970s.[146] Critics have accused Nestlé of discouraging mothers from breastfeeding and suggesting that their baby formula is healthier than breastfeeding.[147] This led to the 1977 Nestlé boycott in the United States and Europe.[148][149]
Slave labour and child labour
Multiple reports have documented the widespread use of child labour as well as slavery and child trafficking by cocoa suppliers, throughout West African plantations, on which Nestlé and other major chocolate companies rely.[150][151][152][153][154]
Environment
Climate change
In 2025, Nestlé was criticized by environmental researchers at NewClimate Institute and Carbon Market Watch for overstating its progress on reducing methane emissions from livestock and fertilizer and overrelying on greenhouse gas removal rather than source reduction.[155] Nestlé responded that 91% of its reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 was due to source reduction, and that it had reduced methane emissions significantly since 2018.[156]
Water
At the second World Water Forum in 2000, Nestlé and other corporations persuaded the World Water Council to change its statement so as to reduce access to drinking water from a "right" to a "need". Nestlé continues to take control of aquifers and bottle their water for profit.[157]
A coalition of environmental groups filed a complaint against Nestlé to the Advertising Standards of Canada after Nestlé took out full-page advertisements in October 2008 with messages stating, "Most water bottles avoid landfill sites and are recycled", "Nestlé Pure Life is a healthy, eco-friendly choice", and, "Bottled water is the most environmentally responsible consumer product in the world."[158][159][160]
Climate change
In 2025, Nestlé was criticized by environmental researchers at NewClimate Institute and Carbon Market Watch for overstating its progress on reducing methane emissions from livestock and fertilizer and overrelying on greenhouse gas removal rather than source reduction.[155] Nestlé responded that 91% of its reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in 2024 was due to source reduction, and that it had reduced methane emissions significantly since 2018.[156]
Water
At the second World Water Forum in 2000, Nestlé and other corporations persuaded the World Water Council to change its statement so as to reduce access to drinking water from a "right" to a "need". Nestlé continues to take control of aquifers and bottle their water for profit.[157]
A coalition of environmental groups filed a complaint against Nestlé to the Advertising Standards of Canada after Nestlé took out full-page advertisements in October 2008 with messages stating, "Most water bottles avoid landfill sites and are recycled", "Nestlé Pure Life is a healthy, eco-friendly choice", and, "Bottled water is the most environmentally responsible consumer product in the world."[158][159][160]
Animal welfare
In 2018, Nestlé pledged to abide by the "Better Chicken Commitment", which involved committing to a range of improved welfare practices for chicken procured for use in Nestlé food products.[161][162] However, a 2025 review from Compassion in World Farming listed that the company was not providing updates on progress towards complying with its 2018 pledge.[163]
In 2024, Nestle reported that 74.4% of its eggs are sourced from cage-free suppliers, slightly down from 76.3% in 2021.[162]
Turkey boycott
In 2024, the Grand National Assembly of Turkey announced that Nestlé products (as well as some other products) will not be sold in restaurants, cafeterias and tea houses in the parliament campus. They said that this was a response to the manufacturers' support for Israel.[164]
See also
Competitors
- Big Chocolate
- Controversies of Nestle
- Farfel the Dog
- List of Nestlé brands
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize
- Nestlé Tower
- Ultra-processed food
Explanatory notes
External links
References
- Financial Statements 2025 Nestlé, 18 February 2026, retrieved 3 March 2026^
- Management Nestlé, retrieved 29 May 2017^
- 1978 Milky Bar commercial YouTube, 1978, retrieved 7 May 2022^
- "Nestlé's Brabeck: We have a 'huge advantage' over big pharma in creating medical foods", CNN Money, 1 April 2011^
- "Nestlé: The unrepentant chocolatier", The Economist, 29 October 2009. Retrieved 17 May 2012^
- Nestlé tops list of largest food companies in the world Forbes, retrieved 26 October 2017^
- Fortune Global 500 List 2017: See Who Made It Fortune, retrieved 30 January 2018^
- The Global 2000 2023 Forbes, retrieved 2024-02-07^
- "Nestlé: Tailoring products to local niches" CNN, 2 July 2010.^
- Annual Review 2025 Nestlé, 2026, retrieved 28 March 2026^
- "Nestlé to Decide on L’Oreal in 2014, Chairman Brabeck Says". Bloomberg, 14 April 2011^
- The History of Nestlé Cleverism, 3 September 2015, retrieved 25 May 2018^
- Sean Mowbray. A Brief History of the Nestlé Brand Culture Trip, 13 May 2017, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- 'Other industries', A History of the County of Wiltshire : Volume 4 (1959), pp. 220–253. Retrieved 14 August 2010^
- Nestle SA Encyclopedia Britannica, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- Henri Nestlé: the man behind the global enterprise | House of Switzerland houseofswitzerland.org, 17 September 2018^
- Linda Stradley. Milk Chocolate History What's Cooking America, 3 November 2015, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- HPatrick. Swiss Chocolate Brands 3 January 2016, retrieved 5 August 2015^
- About Cailler Cailler, retrieved 10 May 2022^
- Chrystal, Paul. Rowntree's – The Early History Pen and Sword Books, 2021, retrieved 18 May 2022^
- Candy and Snack Industry: Volume 145, Issues 1-6 Magazines for Industry, Incorporated, 1980, retrieved 18 May 2022^
- Lacey, Darlene. Classic Candy: America's Favorite Sweets, 1950–80 Bloomsbury Publishing, 2013, retrieved 18 May 2022^
- History of Nestlé www.englishteastore.com, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- Joe Blakely. Oregon Places: The Nestlé Condensary in Bandon Oregon Historical Quarterly, Oregon Historical Society, 2003^
- 1938 - 1944 nestle-cwa.com, retrieved 9 May 2023^
- Eric Owles. How Nestlé Expanded Beyond the Kitchen The New York Times, 27 June 2017, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- The Nestlé logo evolution Nestle.com, retrieved 25 February 2019^
- Nestle International Mergers And Acquisitions Management Essay UKEssays.com, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- Ap. Rowntree Accepts Bid By Nestle The New York Times, 24 June 1988, retrieved 16 January 2020^
- Swedish keen to fish Findus from plughole BNET, 17 April 1999, retrieved 13 January 2011^
- A&O and CC advise on Nestle Findus sell-off The Lawyer, 25 October 1999, retrieved 9 February 2013^
- The inside story of the Cadbury takeover Financial Times, retrieved 5 August 2015^
- Nestlé To Acquire Greek-Based Delta Ice Cream Nestlé Global, 19 December 2005, retrieved 10 August 2021^
- Nestlé takes world ice cream lead BBC News, 19 January 2006, retrieved 22 February 2007^
- Jenny Craig Brings 5 Times Its Price in '02 The New York Times, 20 June 2006, retrieved 12 March 2023^
- Nestlé completes takeover of Novartis food unit – SWI swissinfo.ch SWI – the international service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, 2 July 2007, retrieved 25 October 2016^
- Nestlé to buy Gerber for $5.5B CNN, 12 April 2007, retrieved 12 April 2007^
- Novartis completes its business portfolio restructuring, divesting Gerber for USD 5.5 billion to Nestlé Novartis, 12 April 2007, retrieved 2 September 2016^
- Media releases Novartis.com, 3 September 2007, retrieved 8 January 2010^
- (Press release) Nestlé enters into strategic partnership with Belgian luxury chocolate maker Pierre Marcolini. Nestlé retrieved from it 23 March 2011.^
- Scott McDonald. Nearly 53,000 Chinese children sick from milk 22 September 2008^
- Jane Macartney. China baby milk scandal spreads as sick toll rises to 13,000 The Times, 22 September 2008, retrieved 2 April 2010^
- FDA confirms E. coli found in Nestle cookie dough Reuters^
- Emma Thomasson. Novartis seeks to buy rest of Alcon for $39 billion Reuters, 4 January 2010, retrieved 4 January 2010^
- Sam Cage. Nestle buys Kraft pizza business for $3.7 billion reuters.com, January 4, 2010^
- Nestlé completes acquisition of Kraft Foods' frozen pizza business nestle.com, March 2, 2010^
- Matthew Campbell, Corinne Gretler. Nestlé Wants to Sell You Both Sugary Snacks and Diabetes Pills Bloomberg.com, 5 May 2016, retrieved 22 July 2016^
- Nestlé to enter global market for clinical nutrition products www.nestle.com, 2010-08-02, retrieved 2024-04-08^
- Nestlé to Buy 60% Stake in Hsu Fu Chi for .7 Billion Bloomberg, 11 July 2011, retrieved 10 March 2017^
- "Nestlé to Acquire Pfizer Baby Food Unit for $11.9 Billion". Bloomberg, 23 April 2012^
- Mead Johnson looks tasty, but Abbott may have to pass Crain's Chicago Business, 13 March 2014, retrieved 26 March 2022^
- Nestlé to buy Pfizer Nutrition for $11.85bn NewStatesman, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Nestle Acquires Stake in "Brain Food" Company LA Weekly, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Lillian Rizzo. PE Deals for Weight Loss Brands Face Shifting Diet Demographics Wall Street Journal, 16 July 2014, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Nestlé buys Louisiana depression food firm Nutra, 27 February 2013, retrieved 5 August 2015^
- Nestlé Sells PowerBar Brand Wall Street Journal, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Nestlé Explores Sale of Frozen Food Unit Davigel Wall Street Journal, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Nestle invests more in skin care strategy with 10 research centers Reuters, retrieved 1 July 2017^
- Beware! Eating 2 -Minute Maggi Noodles can ruin your Nervous System news.biharprabha.com, 18 May 2015, retrieved 18 May 2015^
- Maggi Noodles Packets Recalled Across Uttar Pradesh, Say Food Inspectors: Report NDTV, 20 May 2015, retrieved 20 May 2015^
- Sushmi Dey. 'Maggi' under regulatory scanner for lead, MSG beyond permissible limit The Times of India, 16 May 2015, retrieved 20 May 2015^
- Nestle Nestlé to Move U.S. Headquarters to Rosslyn ArlNow, retrieved 1 February 2017^
- Kit Kat sugar content to be cut by 10%, says Nestle BBC News, 8 March 2017, retrieved 21 June 2018^
- Shreddies are about to get a lot healthier The Independent, 4 July 2017, retrieved 24 July 2017^
- Nestle plans $20.8 billion share buyback amid Third Point pressure Reuters, 27 June 2017, retrieved 24 July 2017^
- Saabira Chaudhuri, Brian Blackstone. Nestlé Plans Share Buyback After Pressure From Third Point The Wall Street Journal, 27 June 2017, retrieved 24 July 2017^
- Nestlé and R&R to create Froneri, an ice cream and frozen food joint venture Nestlé Global, 27 April 2016, retrieved 12 January 2020^
- Nestlé, Coca-Cola end the Beverage Partners Worldwide joint venture IFT, 2017-03-07, retrieved 2022-05-15^
- dairyreporter.com. Nestlé Spain develops first infant formula with two breast milk oligosaccharides dairyreporter.com, 4 July 2017, retrieved 16 February 2022^
- Nestle Is Said to Pay $425 Million to Buy Blue Bottle Coffee Bloombery Business, 14 September 2017, retrieved 20 September 2017^
- Ralph Atkins, Tim Bradshaw. Nestlé breaks into US hipster coffee market with Blue Bottle deal Financial Times, 14 September 2017, retrieved 20 September 2017^
- Nestlé agrees to acquire plant-based food brand Sweet Earth Food Bev Media, 7 September 2017, retrieved 20 September 2017^
- Loeb pressures Nestle for more sales, restructuring Reuters, 2 July 2018, retrieved 22 April 2019^
- Jethro Mullen. Nestle: Hedge fund billionaire Dan Loeb slams 'muddled' strategy Money.cnn.com, 2 July 2018, retrieved 25 November 2018^
- Nestle is selling its U.S. candy business to Ferrero for about $2.8 billion USA TODAY, retrieved 17 January 2018^
- "Nestlé And Starbucks Agree To A $7B Distribution Deal, But Will It Work In The Long Term? " Forbes Big Business. Retrieved 7 May 2018.^
- Leslie Scism, Robert Barba. Nestlé to Sell Gerber Life Insurance to Western & Southern Financial The Wall Street Journal, 17 September 2018, retrieved 18 September 2018^
- Claudia Assis. Nestlé to sell Gerber Life Insurance for $1.55 billion MarketWatch, retrieved 18 September 2018^
- Archived copy retrieved 6 December 2019^
- Nestle to adopt Nutri-Score labelling system in continental Europe | Food Industry News | just-food www.just-food.com, retrieved 30 June 2022^
- Froneri acquisition of Nestle USA www.froneri.com, retrieved 11 January 2020^
- Judith Evans. Nestlé eyes 'once in a generation' plant-based opportunity Financial Times, 13 February 2020, retrieved 18 February 2020^
- One Rock and Metropoulos & Co. to acquire Nestlé Waters North America CNBC, 17 February 2021, retrieved 18 February 2021^
- Nestlé water-bottling operations sold to equity firm for $4.3 billion CTV News, 17 February 2021, retrieved 18 February 2021^
- Archeological Find Unearthed in Kitchener 2 April 2021, retrieved 2 April 2021^
- Coffee, dairy help Nestle post strongest quarter in a decade Reuters, 22 April 2021, retrieved 22 April 2021^
- Nick Kostov. Nestlé Expands in Vitamins With $5.75 Billion Nature's Bounty Deal The Wall Street Journal, 30 April 2021, retrieved 30 April 2021^
- Nestle buys vitamin maker Bountiful's main brands for $5.75 billion CNBC, 30 April 2021, retrieved 30 April 2021^
- Nestle to Buy Vitamin Brands From KKR for $5.75 Billion Bloomberg.com, 30 April 2021, retrieved 30 April 2021^
- NHSc to acquire the Mevalia® and ComidaMed® brands from Dr. Schär www.nestlehealthscience.com, retrieved 2024-04-08^
- Nestlé will pay African cocoa farmers to keep children in schools SWI swissinfo.ch, 27 January 2022, retrieved 28 January 2022^
- Nestlé To Acquire Brazilian Plant-Based Firm Puravida ESM Magazine, 24 May 2022, retrieved 24 May 2022^
- "Nestle Flying in Baby Formula to Ease U.S. Shortage". webmd.com. Retrieved 4 June 2022.^
- Tess Egginton. Nestlé to acquire majority stake in Brazilian premium chocolate company Food & Drink International, 7 September 2023, retrieved 8 September 2023^
- Ukraine labels Nestlé a 'sponsor' of Russia's war of aggression SWI swissinfo, 2 November 2023^
- Nestle investing Rs 6,000-6,500 cr to expand manufacturing ops in India, says top official The Economic Times, 8 February 2024, retrieved 2024-02-26^
- Harriet Agnew, Madeleine Speed. Nestlé chief executive Mark Schneider to step down www.ft.com, 23 August 2024, retrieved 2024-08-23^
- Nestle SA acquires minority stake in Drools Pet Food ETRetail.com, retrieved 2025-06-08^
- Robert Miller. Nestlé CEO loses job after 'romantic relationship' with staff member www.thetimes.com, 2025-09-02, retrieved 2025-09-02^
- S. W. I. swissinfo.ch. Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke steps down earlier than planned SWI swissinfo.ch, 2025-09-17, retrieved 2025-09-17^
- Aimee Look and Margot Patrick. Nestlé Plan to Slash 16,000 Jobs Sparks Share Jump The Wall Street Journal, 2025-10-16, retrieved 2025-10-16^
- Nestlé to expand its maternal health offering to support motherhood Nestlé Global, 17 Jul 2024, retrieved 29 Dec 2025^
- Cns Media. Nestlé expands Materna supplement line to support pregnancy and postpartum health https://www.nutritioninsight.com, 19 Dec 2025, retrieved 29 Dec 2025^
- Nestlé to expand its maternal health offering to support motherhood DairyNews, retrieved 29 Dec 2025^
- Alexander Marrow, Oliver Hirt. Nestle recalls infant formula batches in 25 countries over toxin risk Reuters, 6 January 2026, retrieved 9 January 2026^
- Julia Gomez. Nestlé recalls infant formula in 49 countries USA Today, 9 January 2026, retrieved 11 January 2026^
- Centurium Capital Acquires Loss - Making Blue Bottle Coffee: Exclusive eu.36kr.com, retrieved 2026-03-06^
- Forbes list of world's top companies Retrieved 20 May 2015.^
- The Global RepTrak 100: The World's Most Reputable Companies (2015) Reputation Institute, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Nestle Bilanz, Gewinn und Umsatz wallstreet-online.de, retrieved 5 November 2018^
- Nestle. Nestle annual review 2023 Nestle, retrieved 13 May 2024^
- General Mills: Joint ventures retrieved 25 August 2015^
- Nestlé and R&R to create Froneri, an ice cream and frozen food joint venture Press release, Nestlé, 27 April 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2026^
- Nestlé and PAI to create joint venture for frozen pizza in Europe Press release, Nestlé, 21 April 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2026^
- Nestlé and Starbucks close deal for the perpetual global license of Starbucks Consumer Packaged Goods and Foodservice products Press Release, Nestlé, 28 August 2018. Retrieved 29 March 2026^
- "Nestlé plans chilled dairy improvement with Lactalis venture", Dairy Reporter, 16 December 2005.^
- Nestlé, Indofood create culinary product JV FoodNavigator-Asia.com, 28 February 2005, retrieved 18 May 2012^
- "Snow Brand times thawing with Nestlé joint venture", Food Navigator, 24 January 2001.^
- Nestlé Waters and Grupo Modelo in Mexican bottled water alliance Press Release, Nestlé, 29 November 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2026^
- Base de données des élites suisses | Nestlé^
- South Australian Register of Lobbyists - Etched Communications 18 December 2017^
- Christopher Doering. Where the dollars go: Lobbying a big business for large food and beverage CPGs Food Dive, 6 December 2021, retrieved 21 March 2022^
- Aaron Smith. Nestle selling U.S. candy brands to Nutella company CNNMoney, retrieved 18 June 2018^
- From Milkmaids to Multinational Markets: Nestlé's Branding Story www.wipo.int, retrieved 18 June 2018^
- Annual Results 2014 Nestlé, retrieved 25 March 2015^
- Hanna Ziady. The world's biggest food company is now making vegan sausages CNN, 17 January 2020, retrieved 19 January 2020^
- Pendleton, Jennifer (23 November 1993) Rich deal for Disney, Nestlé", Variety^
- The Land retrieved 1 February 2017^
- "Nestlé continues sponsorship of the Beijing Music Festival", China.org, 6 August 2010^
- "Nestlé extends Salzburg Festival partnership until 2015", Nestlé, 5 October 2011^
- Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award 2015 retrieved 30 December 2018^
- Nestlé confirms sponsorship renewal of Tour de France FoodBev, 16 July 2009, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- "IAAF, Nestlé becomes main sponsor of worldwide IAAF Kids' Athletics", 27 January 2012^
- Reinsch, Michael (10 February 2016). Leichtathletik-Weltverband „toxisch“ (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2016.^
- UK: Nestle Waters secures Tour de France tie-up for Buxton Natural Mineral Water 19 June 2014, retrieved 31 August 2015^
- UK: Nestlé Rowntree to sponsor Women's Rugby League team 18 June 2002, retrieved 24 February 2014^
- Nestlé and AIS Sports Nutrition Australian Government^
- Providing Context to the 2012 Nestlé FTSE4Good BMS Verification retrieved 22 September 2015^
- Agnes Mathe. Global Consumer Brands Unveil World's First Enzymatically Recycled Bottles Carbios, 24 June 2021^
- Why PepsiCo, L'Oreal and Nestle are banking on this French plastics recycling startup greenbiz.com, 7 May 2020, retrieved 21 January 2020^
- Global Shared Value Prize on Offer retrieved 15 September 2015^
- Entries open for CHF 500k Nestlé Creating Shared Value Prize UK Fundraising, 9 December 2014, retrieved 5 January 2016^
- Women's Rights: Nestlé on female cocoa farmers ConfectioneryNews.com, 8 March 2013, retrieved 15 September 2015^
- How the Global Food Sector Can Solve Our Food Security Crisis retrieved 1 February 2017^
- Nestlé wins global food industry award CSR Europe, 24 August 2010^
- Nestle to respond to baby milk criticism in coming days Reuters, 2 February 2018, retrieved 24 August 2019^
- Jessica Plüss. Nestlé struggles to win over baby formula critics Swissinfo, 10 January 2020, retrieved 29 May 2023^
- Joanna Moorhead. Milking it The Guardian, 15 May 2007, retrieved 23 August 2019^
- Soul Han. International groups boycott Nestle products to end indiscriminate advertising, 1977-1984 The Commons Social Change Library, 30 September 2021, retrieved 10 November 2022^
- Sudarsan Raghavan, Sumana Chatterjee. Slaves feed world's taste for chocolate: Captives common in cocoa farms of Africa Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 24 June 2001, retrieved 25 April 2012^
- Combating Child Labour in Cocoa Growing International Labour Organization, 2005, retrieved 26 April 2012^
- David Wolfe, Shazzie. Naked Chocolate: The Astonishing Truth about the World's Greatest Food North Atlantic Books, 2005, retrieved 15 December 2011^
- Humphrey Hawksley. Mali's children in chocolate slavery BBC News, 12 April 2001, retrieved 2 January 2010^
- Humphrey Hawksley. Ivory Coast accuses chocolate companies BBC News, 4 May 2001, retrieved 4 August 2010^
- Rachel Sherrington, Hazel Healy. Food Giants' Climate Plans Lack Credibility, New Report Finds DeSmog, 3 June 2025, retrieved 3 December 2025^
- Elaine Watson. Danone and Nestlé hit back after new report accuses Big Food of 'corporate greenwashing.' AgFunderNews, 5 June 2025, retrieved 3 December 2025^
- Paul Muir. The human rights and wrongs of Nestlé and water for all The National, 28 November 2013, retrieved 21 April 2015^
- Nestlé bottled-water ads misleading, environmentalists say CBC News, 1 December 2008, retrieved 4 January 2016^
- Groups Challenge Nestlé's Bottled Water Greenwashing Polaris Institute, retrieved 30 November 2010^
- Scott Anderson. Nestlé water ads misleading: Canada green groups Reuters, 1 December 2008, retrieved 30 November 2010^
- The Policy - BCC [EU] betterchickencommitment.com, retrieved 2025-04-11^
- Animal Welfare Nestle.com, retrieved April 11, 2025^
- Animal welfare standards remain a worry as chicken commitments wane www.ingredientsnetwork.com, retrieved 2025-04-11^
- Turkish parliament dumps Coke, Nestle from menus over alleged Israel support Reuters, 7 November 2023, retrieved 2 August 2024^