Nestle S.A.: concentrates research in Switzerland

Vevey / CH. (nsa) Swiss Nestle S.A. has announced changes that further strengthen its research and development operations, the largest of any food company worldwide.

Nestle will bring together its two scientific discovery units, the Nestle Research Center and the Nestle Institute of Health Sciences, to build one impactful organization, Nestle Research. The combination of two world-renowned research facilities with highly complementary capabilities will take Nestle’s important research work to a new level.

Nestle continuously develops new products and services that offer tastier and healthier choices to consumers. This includes reducing sugar, salt and saturated fat content and increasing positive nutrients to improve the nutritional profile of its products. The company also addresses wider issues through science and technology, such as non-communicable diseases, micronutrient deficiencies and sustainability. Nestle’s researchers collaborate with world-leading scientists at local and international academic institutions, enabling them to make impactful scientific discoveries and to advance the quality of Nestle’s products.

«Nestle’s success is built on meeting fast-changing consumer demand around the world. In this dynamic environment innovation leadership is key to winning in the marketplace», said Nestle CEO Mark Schneider. «Strengthening our discovery research capabilities will give us an edge when it comes to developing the technologies for the next generation of must-have products».

Nestle Research will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland and will employ approximately 800 people. It will consist of three major research institutes: Health Sciences, Material Sciences and Food Safety + Analytical Sciences. The new organization will combine fundamental science at the highest level, high-end analytical platforms leveraged by all research teams, and strong prototyping capabilities to accelerate the translation of science into innovation.

The scientific discoveries of Nestle Research are translated by Nestle’s category-specific Product and Technology Centers into innovations fueling business growth. An example of such an innovation is the recently launched chocolate bar Milkybar Wowsomes. It contains Nestle’s new structured sugar which allows to reduce the sugar content in the chocolate by 30 percent while using only natural ingredients and no sweeteners. This breakthrough innovation was based on the work of research teams in Switzerland.

«Pushing the boundaries in innovation and developing an understanding of the impact of good nutrition on people’s health has been at the core of Nestle since the very beginning of the company», said Paul Bulcke, Nestle Chairman. «The strengthening of our research organization will enable us to accelerate insights, discoveries and breakthrough innovations. Switzerland’s collaborative research landscape creates the ideal environment for this».