Nestlé

With margins under pressure in the stagnating food market, Nestlé is investing heavily in healthy food. In Japan, the food multinational is even testing the possibilities of a diet plan based on genetic information.

There is no end to the consolidations in the coffee branch: both JAB (Jacobs Douwe Egberts) and Nestlé have expressed interest in Italian coffee maker Illycaffè, but it is not sure if the family owners want to sell.

Food multinationals are not doing enough to make their products more healthy, according to Access to Nutrition Foundation. Nestlé, Unilever and Danone are top of the class.

Global brands are increasingly struggling to ward off smaller, local companies. Some even believe the brands’ golden age has passed. That may be presumptuous, but there are some noticeable trends.

Nestlé and European purchase alliance AgeCore – which includes Colruyt – have reached a deal after months of conflict. The boycott of some 200 Nestlé products will now come to an end.

Colruyt, Edeka and Intermarché are approaching a deal in their price dispute with Nestlé. The Swiss food manufacturer will make concessions in a new proposal as the retailers’ supplies are dwindling.

Barry Callebaut introduced its pink chocolate in Japan early this year and has now launched it in Europe. Nestlé will be the first, with a pink KitKat bar, next week. The fourth type of chocolate is smooth and has a fruity berry flavour.