Nestlé is a multinational packaged food company founded and headquartered in Switzerland. It results from a merger in 1905 between the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company for milk products established by the Page Brothers in Cham, Switzerland, in 1866 and the Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé Company set up in 1867 by Henri Nestlé to provide an infant food product. Several of Nestlé's brands are globally renowned, which made the company a global market leader in many product lines, including milk, chocolate, confectionery, bottled water, coffee, creamer, food seasoning and pet foods.[1] Nestlé's corporate reputation is one of the highest among Switzerland's largest companies.[2][3][4] The company stock is listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange. Some of Nestlé's business practices have been considered controversial, especially the manner in which baby milk has been marketed in developing countries, which led to the Nestlé boycott.
Nestlé was founded in 1860.
In the 1860s Henri Nestlé, a pharmacist, developed a food for babies whose mothers were unable to breastfeed. His first success was a premature infant who could not tolerate his own mother's milk nor any of the usual substitutes. The value of the new product was quickly recognized when his new formula saved the child's life, and soon, Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé was being sold in much of Europe.
In 1905 Nestlé merged with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. By the early 1900s, the company was operating factories in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. World War I created new demand for dairy products in the form of government contracts. By the end of the war, Nestlé's production more than doubled.
The first Nestlé factory to begin production in the United States was opened in Fulton, Oswego County, New York. The factory however was closed in 2001, after the company decided that the cost of restoring, and updating the factory was not worth the effort. Employees of the factory were furious, and raised the company flag upside down the day the closing was announced.
After the war, 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 the company's second most important activity.
Nestlé felt the effects of World War II immediately. Profits dropped from US$20 million in 1938 to US$6 million in 1939. Factories were established in developing countries, particularly Latin America. Ironically, the war helped with the introduction of the company's newest product, Nescafé, which was a staple drink of the US military. Nestlé's production and sales rose in the wartime economy.
The end of World War II was the beginning of a dynamic phase for Nestlé. Growth accelerated and companies were acquired. In 1947 came the merger with Maggi seasonings and soups. Crosse & Blackwell followed in 1950, as did Findus (1963), Libby's (1971) and Stouffer's (1973). Diversification came with a shareholding in L'Oréal in 1974. In 1977, Nestlé made its second venture outside the food industry by acquiring Alcon Laboratories Inc.
The Brazilian president, Lula da Silva, inaugurates a factory in Feira de Santana (Bahia), February, 2007.In 1984, Nestlé's improved bottom line allowed the company to launch a new round of acquisitions, notably American food giant Carnation and the British confectionery company Rowntree Mackintosh in 1988.
The first half of the 1990s proved to be favorable for Nestlé: trade barriers crumbled and world markets developed into more or less integrated trading areas. Since 1996 there have been acquisitions including San Pellegrino (1997), Spillers Petfoods (1998) and Ralston Purina (2002). There were two major acquisitions in North America, both in 2002: in June, Nestlé merged its U.S. ice cream business into Dreyer's, and in August a US$2.6 billion acquisition was announced of Chef America, Inc. In the same time frame, Nestlé came close to purchasing the iconic American company Hershey's, though the deal fell through.[5] Another recent purchase includes the Jenny Craig fitness firm for US$600 million.
In December 2005 Nestlé bought the Greek company Delta Ice Cream for €240 million. In January 2006 it took full ownership of Dreyer's, thus becoming the world's biggest ice cream maker with a 17.5% market share.[6]
In April 2007 Nestlé bought baby food manufacturer Gerber for $5.5 billion.[7]
ProductsNestlé has a wide range of products across a number of markets including coffee (Nescafé), water, other beverages, ice cream, infant foods, performance and healthcare nutrition, seasonings, frozen and refrigerated foods, confectionery and pet food. For a list of some of these brands, see List of Nestlé brands.
Nestlé was founded in 1860.
In the 1860s Henri Nestlé, a pharmacist, developed a food for babies whose mothers were unable to breastfeed. His first success was a premature infant who could not tolerate his own mother's milk nor any of the usual substitutes. The value of the new product was quickly recognized when his new formula saved the child's life, and soon, Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé was being sold in much of Europe.
In 1905 Nestlé merged with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company. By the early 1900s, the company was operating factories in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany and Spain. World War I created new demand for dairy products in the form of government contracts. By the end of the war, Nestlé's production more than doubled.
The first Nestlé factory to begin production in the United States was opened in Fulton, Oswego County, New York. The factory however was closed in 2001, after the company decided that the cost of restoring, and updating the factory was not worth the effort. Employees of the factory were furious, and raised the company flag upside down the day the closing was announced.
After the war, 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 the company's second most important activity.
Nestlé felt the effects of World War II immediately. Profits dropped from US$20 million in 1938 to US$6 million in 1939. Factories were established in developing countries, particularly Latin America. Ironically, the war helped with the introduction of the company's newest product, Nescafé, which was a staple drink of the US military. Nestlé's production and sales rose in the wartime economy.
The end of World War II was the beginning of a dynamic phase for Nestlé. Growth accelerated and companies were acquired. In 1947 came the merger with Maggi seasonings and soups. Crosse & Blackwell followed in 1950, as did Findus (1963), Libby's (1971) and Stouffer's (1973). Diversification came with a shareholding in L'Oréal in 1974. In 1977, Nestlé made its second venture outside the food industry by acquiring Alcon Laboratories Inc.
The Brazilian president, Lula da Silva, inaugurates a factory in Feira de Santana (Bahia), February, 2007.In 1984, Nestlé's improved bottom line allowed the company to launch a new round of acquisitions, notably American food giant Carnation and the British confectionery company Rowntree Mackintosh in 1988.
The first half of the 1990s proved to be favorable for Nestlé: trade barriers crumbled and world markets developed into more or less integrated trading areas. Since 1996 there have been acquisitions including San Pellegrino (1997), Spillers Petfoods (1998) and Ralston Purina (2002). There were two major acquisitions in North America, both in 2002: in June, Nestlé merged its U.S. ice cream business into Dreyer's, and in August a US$2.6 billion acquisition was announced of Chef America, Inc. In the same time frame, Nestlé came close to purchasing the iconic American company Hershey's, though the deal fell through.[5] Another recent purchase includes the Jenny Craig fitness firm for US$600 million.
In December 2005 Nestlé bought the Greek company Delta Ice Cream for €240 million. In January 2006 it took full ownership of Dreyer's, thus becoming the world's biggest ice cream maker with a 17.5% market share.[6]
In April 2007 Nestlé bought baby food manufacturer Gerber for $5.5 billion.[7]
ProductsNestlé has a wide range of products across a number of markets including coffee (Nescafé), water, other beverages, ice cream, infant foods, performance and healthcare nutrition, seasonings, frozen and refrigerated foods, confectionery and pet food. For a list of some of these brands, see List of Nestlé brands.
NESTLE BOYCOTT
The Nestlé boycott is a boycott launched on July 4, 1977 in the United States against the Swiss based Nestlé corporation. It soon spread rapidly outside the United States, particularly in Europe.[1] It was prompted by concern about the company's marketing of breast milk substitutes (infant formula), particularly in less economically developed countries (LEDCs), which campaigners claim contributes to the unnecessary death and suffering of babies, largely among the poor.[2] Among the campaigners, Professor Derrick Jelliffe and his wife Patrice, who had contributed to establish the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA), were particularly instrumental in helping to coordinate the boycott and giving it ample visibility throughout the world.
The baby milk issueGroups such as the International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN), and Save the Children claim that the promotion of infant formula over breast-feeding has led to health problems and deaths among infants in less economically developed countries. [3][4] There are three problems that are said to arise when poor mothers in Third World countries switch to formula. First, formula must normally be mixed with water, which is often contaminated in poor countries, leading to disease in vulnerable infants. [5] UNICEF estimates that a non-breastfed child living in disease-ridden and unhygienic conditions is between six and 25 times more likely to die of diarrhea and four times more likely to die of pneumonia than a breastfed child.
Second, many poor mothers use less formula powder than is necessary, in order to make a container of formula last longer. As a result, some infants receive inadequate nutrition from weak solutions of formula
Third, breast milk has many natural benefits lacking from formula. Nutrients and antibodies are passed to the baby while hormones are released into the mother's body.Breast-fed babies are protected, in varying degrees, from a number of illnesses, including diarrhea, bacterial meningitis, gastroenteritis, ear infection, and respiratory infectionBreast milk contains the right amount of the nutrients that are essential for neuronal (brain and nerve) development. [12] The bond between baby and mother can be strengthened during breastfeedingFrequent and exclusive breastfeeding can also delay the return of fertility, which can help women in developing countries to space their birthsThe World Health Organization recommends that, in the majority of cases, babies should be exclusively breast fed for the first six months.UNICEF alleges that, if every baby were exclusively breastfed from birth to six months, an estimated 1.3 million additional lives would be saved each year.
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