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Tag: Nestle India

  • YES BANK & CNBC-TV18 Growth Summit in association with Max Life Insurance puts a spotlight on India’s $10 trillion economy plan

    YES BANK & CNBC-TV18 Growth Summit in association with Max Life Insurance puts a spotlight on India’s $10 trillion economy plan

    Mumbai: The Delhi edition of YES BANK and CNBC-TV18’s – The Growth Summit: A Vision to a $10 Trillion Economy, in association with Max Life Insurance, was organised on Wednesday. The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, startup founders, and a diverse range of experts to engage in substantive discussions regarding India’s economic growth. The primary focus of the summit centred on the government’s ambitious 25-year plan aimed to position India as the world’s third-largest economy, boasting a GDP of $10 trillion.

    A spokesperson from CNBC-TV18 extended a warm welcome to the attendees, moving to the opening remarks by YES Bank CEO & MD Prashant Kumar.  “In the last few years, we have witnessed large investments in the infrastructure landscape, taking the country to the next-level. India has come out as a strong force with all the headwinds happening around the world, and to continue that, we need to remain self-insulated and self-reliant. Moving towards becoming the third largest economy is not enough; the ultimate goal should be that every Indian benefits from this growth. It is crucial for all of us to work collaboratively and focus on areas including—inclusivity with growth, manufacturing, boosting exports, supporting MSME and the startup ecosystem and funding innovation. The involvement of the government and private sector together is the key to achieving the $10 trillion economy plan.”

    During his address, Mr Kumar announced the launch of ‘Yes Private’ in Delhi, which is the Bank’s newest market offering that aims to partner HNI Business owners and C-Suite executives in their endeavour to leverage the opportunities on the road towards a $10 trillion Indian economy.

    The event kicked off with a fireside chat on ‘Leading from the front: How to Live up to your Strategic Vision’ in conversation with Nestle India CMD Suresh Narayanan, he said, I feel fortunate to be a part of a 160-year-old company that values providing experiences to people, not just selling products. Nowadays, digitisation has levelled the playing field for everyone, and e-commerce and AI are helping us plan better. However, with tech being such a driving force presently, we need to utilise it responsibly and remember technology is here to serve mankind and not the other way around. Lastly, trust, empathy and compassion are not just buzzwords and the long-lived companies are going to be those where this five letter ‘TRUST’ is placed in everything they do.” The discussion was moderated by CNBC-TV18 managing editor Shereen Bhan.

    The event continued with another interesting thought-provoking discussion on ‘Unveiling Indian Healthcare as a Model of Growth & Excellence’ in conversation with Medanta executive chairman Dr Naresh Trehan, he stated “Every person in India deserves access to decent healthcare. With the introduction of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the industry has extended a lifeline to over 500 million individuals who were previously left out of the healthcare facility. It’s surprising to admit that healthcare expenses alone are driving 2 to 4% of our population below the poverty line each year. Considering the extent of our nation’s growth, with a population increasing by 25 million annually, the challenge before us is immense, but the steps taken by the current government through Ayushman Bharat have provided immense relief.”

    Subsequently, there was another fireside chat on ‘Betting Big One on India: Identifying New Growth Opportunities’, Dixon Technologies chairman Sunil Vachani.  

    The fireside chat was followed by a special address by Max Life Insurance CEO & MD Prashant Tripathy. He said, “In India’s pursuit of becoming a $10 trillion economy, visionary policy initiatives stand as cornerstones of inclusive growth. From pioneering financial inclusion schemes and the development of robust digital infrastructure to the progress of our vibrant start-up ecosystem- these collective endeavours underscore the remarkable journey we’ve undertaken as an economy in the last decade. As we stride forward, India must prioritize policies that foster innovation, technological advancement, tackle income inequality, and promote sustainable development practices. These critical areas demand our unhindered focus, as we inch towards an economy that unlocks sustained development for one and all.”

    The evening continued with an engaging panel discussion on ‘Facilitating the Emerging Stars of Indian Business’ with insights from industry experts Akshay Ghulati (Co-founder & COO, Shiprocket); Mr Anirudh Arun (Co-founder, CEO, BluSmart Fleet) and Ish Babbar  (Cofounder & CTO, Insurance Dekho).

    The evening continued with an engaging conversation with Former Indian cricketer Virendra Sehwag. Talking about how the Indian team can bring home the World Cup, he said, “We need to play it like a knockout match, be brave and fearless and most importantly, make the right decision on the field. India has never lacked talent; we need to play aggressive cricket and not worry about winning.”

    Concluding the summit was a thought-provoking session conducted by Kumaar Bagrodia, leading Neuroscientist & Founder of NeuroLeap, on ‘The Neuroscience of Investing’.

    The Delhi edition of ‘The Growth Summit – Vision for a $10 trillion Economy’ underscored India’s trajectory towards economic prosperity as industry leaders and experts converged to chart a path towards a $10 trillion economy. The next edition of the summit will be held in Hyderabad on 15 March,2024.

  • TAM report: SBS Biotech was the leading advertiser during Q’1, Q’2 and Q’3 of 2023

    TAM report: SBS Biotech was the leading advertiser during Q’1, Q’2 and Q’3 of 2023

    Mumbai: TAM AdEx India has released a quarterly advertising report on FMCG sector for Jul-Sept’23.

    TV:

    Ad volumes on television for the FMCG sector witnessed growth in Apr-Jun’23 and Jul-Sept’23 by four per cent and three per cent over Jan-Mar’23. Also, Jul-Sept’23 observed growth of two per cent in ad volumes over Jul-Sept’22 for the FMCG sector.

    May’23 had the highest share of ad volumes of 12 per cent for the FMCG sector. Whereas, Feb’23 had the lowest share of ad volumes on television advertising for the FMCG sector.

    Toilet Soaps, Toilet/Floor Cleaners and Washing Powders/Liquids retained their first, second and third positions respectively in Jul-Sept’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23. Tea and Mosquito Repellents were the only new entrants in the top 10 category list during Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23. The top 10 categories collectively added 47 per cent share of ad volumes on TV for the FMCG sector.

    Hindustan Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser (India) retained their first and second positions throughout first, second and third quarters of year 2023.

    Together, the top 10 advertisers covered 71 per cent share of ad volumes on TV advertising for the FMCG sector. The top seven advertisers present in all the quarters of the year 2023 i.e. Jan-Sep. Britannia Industries and Nestle India entered the top 10 advertisers list and secured ninth and tenth positions compared to their 12th and 11th positions in Apr-Jun’23.

    The top 10 brands collectively added the highest share of ad volumes of 17 per cent in Apr-Jun’23. Out of the top 10 brands present in Jul-Sept’23, five of them belonged to Reckitt Benckiser (India), four belonged to Hindustan Unilever and one belonged to Wipro. Dettol Toilet Soaps ascended to first position in Jul-Sept’23 compared to its fourth position in Apr-Jun’23. Santoor Sandal and Turmeric, Lifebuoy Toilet Soap and Surf Excel Easy Wash were the new entrants in the top 10 brand list in Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23.

    GEC channel genre was majorly preferred by the FMCG sector advertisers in Jul-Sept’23 with 37 per cent share of ad volumes. The top two channel genres i.e. GEC and Movies together accounted 63 per cent of the ad volumes’ share for the FMCG sector during Jul-Sept’23.

    Feature films is the most commonly used genre for promoting FMCG brands on television with 28 per cent share. The top two program genres i.e. feature films and drama soap together added 43 per cent share of ad volumes on TV.

    Prime time had the highest advertising share on TV followed by afternoon and morning time-bands. Prime time, afternoon & morning time bands together accounted for 72 per cent share of ad volumes.

    Advertisers of the FMCG sector majorly preferred 20 – 40 secs ad size on TV with 70 per cent share of ad volumes followed by <20 secs ads.

    Print:

    Ad space in print medium for FMCG sector witnessed growth of six per cent and 12 per cent during both the quarters Apr-Jun’23 and Jul-Sept’23 respectively. Also, Jul-Sept’23 observed growth of seven per cent in ad space for FMCG sector compared to Jul-Sept’22.

    The highest share of ad space on print medium was observed in Aug’23 with 13 per cent and the lowest share of ad space was in Feb’23 with nine per cent for FMCG sector.

    During Jul-Sept’23, the range of OTC products ascended to first position with nine per cent share of ad space compared to its third position in Apr-Jun’23. Tooth pastes and range of food products were the new entrants in the top 10 category list during Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23. The top categories together contributed 47 per cent share of ad space in Jul-Sept’23.

    SBS Biotech was the leading advertiser during Q’1, Q’2 and Q’3 of Y 2023. It had 14 per cent share of ad space during Jul-Sept’23. The top 10 advertisers together added 41 per cent share of ad space in Jul-Sept’23. Divya Pharmacy was an exclusive advertiser that entered the top 10 advertiser list and secured third position compared to AprJun’23. Hindustan Unilever, Dabur India, and K P Pan Foods were the new entrants in the top 10 advertisers list in Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23.

    The top 10 brands in Jul-Sept’23 together added the highest share of ad space of 20 per cent. Patanjali Divya OTC products was an exclusive brand that entered the top 10 list and secured first position in Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23. Dr Ortho Oil descended to the second position in Jul-Sept’23 compared to its first position in Apr-Jun’23. Patanjali range of products, Patanjali Dant Kanti and Pushp Tikha Tadka Mirch Powder were the entrants in the top 10 brand list in Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23. Out of the top 10 brands present in Jul-Sept’23, four of them belonged to SBS Biotech and two belonged to Patanjali Ayurved.

    In the period of Jul-Sept’23, Publication with the Hindi language dominated by securing a 51 per cent share of advertising space. The top five publication languages together accounted for 85 per cent share of ad space.

    North Zone was the leading territory for advertising with 36 per cent share of ad space during Jul-Sept’23 for the FMCG sector. Mumbai & Kolkata were the top two cities in Pan India during Jul-Sept’23.

    Sales promotion for ‘FMCG’ sector accounted for 18 per cent share of ad space in the print medium. Among sales promotions, volume promotion occupied 39 per cent share of the pie followed by discount promotion with 22 per cent share in Jul-Sept’23.

    Radio:

    The FMCG sector observed growth in ad volumes on Radio Medium by 12 per cent and 19 per cent during Apr-Jun’23 and Jul-Sept’23 respectively. Compared to Jul-Sept’22, ad volumes of the FMCG sector observed growth of 48 per cent in Jul-Sept’23.

    May’23 and Aug’23 had the highest share of ad volumes of 13 per cent on radio medium for the FMCG sector. Whereas, Jan’23 & Feb’23 had the lowest share of ad volumes of nine per cent.

    In Jul-Sept’23, Pan Masala category retained its first position with 14 per cent share of ad volumes compared to Apr-Jun’23. Range of Hair Car was a new category that entered the top 10 category list and secured seventh position in Jul-Sept’23 over AprJun’23. The top 10 categories together added 59 per cent share of ad volumes during Jul-Sept’23. Edible oil and rubs and balms were the new entrants in the top 10 category list in Jul-Sept’23 over Apr-Jun’23.

    Vishnu Packaging secured first position in the first three quarters of Y 2023. Together, the top 10 advertisers added 46 per cent share of ad volumes in Jul-Sept’23. Compared to Apr-Jun’23, Vishnu Packaging and SBS Biotech retained their first and second positions with 11 per cent and 8 per cent share of ad volumes in Jul-Sept’23. DN Global Marketing and Lakshmi Snacks were exclusive brands that entered the top 10 advertiser list in Jul-Sept’23 over AprJun’23.

    Vimal Pan Masala was consistent in securing the first position during the first three quarters of the year 2023. Jan-Mar’23 had the highest collective ad volume share of the top 10 brands with 35 per cent for FMCG category. There were four exclusive advertisers present in Jul-Sept’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23. Glaxo Smithkline entered the top 10 list in Jul-Sept’23 and secured third position, compared to its 34th position in Apr-Jun’23.

    Gujarat was the leading state with 24 per cent share of ad volumes on Radio for the FMCG sector. The top three states occupied 56 per cent share of ad volumes for the FMCG sector.

    Advertising for FMCG was preferred in the evening followed by morning time-band on the radio. Together, evening and morning time bands added 70 per cent share of ad volumes on radio advertising for FMCG sector.

    Digital:

    Ad impressions on Digital medium for the FMCG sector witnessed growth of 29 per cent during Apr-Jun’23 compared to Jan-Mar’23. Whereas, Jul-Sept’23 observed a de-growth of six per cent over Jan-Mar’23. Also, ad impressions decreased by 29 per cent in Jul-Sept’23 compared to Jul-Sept’22.

    In digital medium, Apr’23 & Jun’23 both had the highest monthly ad impressions of 14 per cent, whereas Feb’23 and Jul’23 had the lowest share of ad impressions i.e. nine per cent.

    Corporate-pharma/healthcare ascended to first position with 11 per cent share of ad impressions compared to its second position in Apr-Jun’23. Out of the top 10 categories, five of them were new entrants in Jul-Sept’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23. The top 10 categories together added 45 per cent share of ad volumes during Jul-Sept’23.

    Hindustan Unilever ascended to first position in Jul-Sept’23 with seven per cent share of ad impressions compared to its third position in Apr-Jun’23. Out of the top 10 advertisers present in Jul-Sept’23, four of them were new entrants compared to Apr-Jun’23. The top 10 advertisers together accounted for 48 per cent share of ad volumes on radio in Jul-Sept’23 for the FMCG sector.

    Hear.Com retained its first position in Jul-Sept’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23.

    The top 10 brands of Jan-Mar’23 and Jul-Sept’23 had the maximum share of ad impressions i.e. 28 per cent. Fortune Xpert Total Balance and Britannia Nutri Choice Seeds were exclusive brands present in Jul-Sept’23. Out of the top 10 brands present in Jul-Sept’23, seven of them were new entrants compared to Apr-Jun’23.

    Programmatic (86 per cent) was the top transaction method for digital FMCG advertising based on impressions during Jul-Sept’23. Programmatic and ad network transaction methods together captured 94 per cent share of FMCG ad impressions on digital.

  • TAM report: Food & Beverages retained its top position compared to Apr-Jun’23

    TAM report: Food & Beverages retained its top position compared to Apr-Jun’23

    Mumbai: TAM India has released a quarterly advertising report on television for Jul-Sept’23.

    Ad volumes on television advertising witnessed growth of five per cent in Apr-Jun’23 and one per cent growth in Jul-Sep’23 compared to Jan-Mar’23. Also, Jul-Sept’23 observed a de-growth of four per cent in TV ad volumes compared to Jul-Sep’22.

    Food & Beverages retained its top position compared to Apr-Jun’23; auto sector observed a positive rank shift. Banking/finance/investment entered the top 10 list of sectors during Jul-Sep’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23. The top 10 sectors together added 89 per cent share of ad volumes in Jul-Sep’23.

    The top 10 categories collectively added 33 per cent share of ad volumes on television advertising during Jul-Sep’23. During Jul-Sep’23, biscuits, tea and mosquito repellents were the new entrants in the top 10 list of categories compared to Apr-Jun’23. Washing powder/liquids, milk beverages and shampoos observed positive rank shift in Jul-Sep’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23.

    Hindustan Unilever and Reckitt Benckiser (India) retained their first and second positions during Q’1, Q’2 and Q’3 of Y 2023. During Jul-Sep’23, the top 10 advertisers contributed 49 per cent share of ad volumes on TV advertising. Britannia Industries and Nestle India entered the top 10 list during Jul-Sept’23 and secured ninth and tenth positions compared to their 14 and 13 positions respectively in Apr-Jun’23.

    In Jul-Sep’23, the top 10 brands together accounted for 10 per cent share of ad volumes on television advertising. Out of the top 10 brands present in Jul-Sep’23, five of them belonged to Reckitt Benckiser (India) and four belonged to Hindustan Unilever. Also, five of the top 10 brands belonged to personal care/personal hygiene sector during Jul-Sep’23.

    Milk beverages saw the highest increase in ad volumes resulting in 30 per cent growth during Jul-Sep’23 compared to Apr-Jun’23 followed by ecom-online shopping with 76 per cent growth.

    Compared to Jan-Mar’23, GEC and movies genre witnessed minor rise in percentage share of ad volumes in Jul-Sep’23. Whereas, news and kids genre’s share was maintained throughout all three quarters. The top five genre together contributed more than 90 per cent share of ad volumes in each of the Q’1, Q’2 and Q’3 of Y 2023.

  • MAGGI launches “MAGGI Oats Noodles with Millet Magic”

    MAGGI launches “MAGGI Oats Noodles with Millet Magic”

    Mumbai: Nestlé India has added a new offering in their Millet-based product portfolio with the launch of MAGGI Oats Noodles with Millet Magic, under MAGGI Oats Noodles sub-brand. Consumed by nearly two-thirds of the Indian households, MAGGI noodles can contribute positively to make millet mainstream in India.  

    The new product offers a combination of two millets – Sorghum (Jowar) and Finger Millet (Ragi), along with goodness-filled oats. MAGGI has taken the flavorful Masala direction to make millets enjoyable and elevate the experience.

    Commenting on the launch, Nestlé India director – foods business Rajat Jain said, “We are excited to introduce the new MAGGI Oats Noodles with Millet Magic with goodness of millets. This launch is in line with MAGGI’s commitment to provide consumers with diverse options by recalibrating innovations. With this new product we have combined oats with Indian Millets to offer consumers a product which is a source of fiber and protein. Over the four decades of our existence in India we have received immense love from our consumers. We are confident that the MAGGI Oats  Noodles with Millet Magic will be received by our consumers with equal love and enthusiasm.”

    The MAGGI Oats Noodles with Millet Magic comes as a part of Nestlé India’s new millet-based offerings across categories. Nestlé R&D Centre India Private Limited, Manesar (a subsidiary of Nestlé  S.A and a part of Nestlé’s global R&D network) signed an MOU with Nutrihub-IIMR with an aim to collaborate in areas such as millet processing, health and nutrition benefits, millet sustainable regenerative agriculture practices and start-up collaborations. Coming from the house of MAGGI, consumers can be assured of great taste, with a tastemaker combining 20 spices & herbs.  

    MAGGI Oats Noodles with Millet Magic will be available at major metros and will be priced at Rs 175 for a pack of four serves (298 g). 

  • KITKAT launches new premium range with three rich and indulgent variants

    KITKAT launches new premium range with three rich and indulgent variants

    Mumbai: KITKAT has expanded its portfolio with the launch of a new premium range of three rich and indulgent variants. The three variants – rich, dark and caramel-coated wafers offer delicious chocolate coating on layers of crispy cocoa wafers.

    To celebrate the launch, the brand has developed a new campaign featuring actor Anushka Sharma. Conceptualised by Wunderman Thompson, the new campaign will go live on TV and digital, along with an outdoor plan.

    Commenting on the launch of the new range, Nestlé India director, confectionery business Rupali Rattan said “This is an important foray of KITKAT into the premium segment as we constantly try to innovate and bring joy to our consumers. The new range comes in three delicious variants which will provide variety and multiple offerings to choose from. We are delighted to have Anushka Sharma as the ambassador of our new premium range. We feel her persona reflects the brand and is a perfect fit to launch our new premium offerings.”

    The new ambassador for KITKAT’s premium range, actor Anushka Sharma, said, “I am happy to be associated with an iconic brand like KITKAT. This new premium range offers a truly indulgent experience. I am confident that everyone will love the rich and delicious breaks with this new KitKat range.”

    This new range of KITKAT premium will be available pan-India, with prices ranging from Rs 70 to Rs 180 in three delectable variants of Rich, Dark & caramel-coated wafers.

  • Ipsos-Nestle joint paper bags first runner-up at 31st MRSI Annual Seminar

    Ipsos-Nestle joint paper bags first runner-up at 31st MRSI Annual Seminar

    Mumbai: The 31st Annual Market Research Seminar has announced the winners. Ipsos-Nestle joint paper titled Potential Value of Innovative Reality and Metaverse in Consumer Research, submitted under the category Maiden Voyage has bagged the first runner-up spot. It was chosen from 100 entries across clients and market research fraternity.

    The research paper elucidated on the potential of conducting consumer research in an immersive environment through virtual reality. This innovative approach allowed one to gather unfiltered and authentic responses from respondents, removing distractions and providing a unique immersive research experience. The immersive environment (Café verse) was a game changer on how we conducted research, enabling us to delve deeper into consumer insights. We conducted ‘Café verse’ research for Nestle’s Nescafe brand, specifically to test cafe themes. The results were nothing short of intriguing, providing valuable insights and informing strategic decisions.

    The authors were Shelly Jain: research director, Ipsos India; Ashwini Sirsikar, group service line leader, Ipsos Qual and Synthesio, Ipsos India; Aprajita Chauhan: research manager, Ipsos India; Abhinav Goel, lead consumer insights, Nestle India and Smriti Jain, manager consumer insights, Nestle India.

    The annual market research seminar with the theme Taming the Choppy Waters was held on 9 & 10 October 2023 at The Leela, Mumbai.

    Ipsos India had seven shortlisted research papers in penultimate round. Ipsos had sent over 20 synopses in the first round.

    Within the theme, the seminar sought submissions under the four key categories of – maiden voyage, adventure, steering and sailors,  The objective was to understand the journey in choppy waters as well as new lands that have been charted through the endeavours. And to understand the navigation tools created and the new understanding landed about the new world.

    Ipsos India CEO Amit Adarkar said, “We are very proud of our unprecedented participation and the 1st runner up win. The theme of the 1st runner up paper was futuristic and immersive and captured consumer views in the true sense. Unfiltered and experiential. This was a game changer for Nestle. Congratulations to our teams.”

  • Partha Sinha, Suresh Narayanan and Suparna Mitra part of the Effies Global “Best of the Best” Grand Jury

    Partha Sinha, Suresh Narayanan and Suparna Mitra part of the Effies Global “Best of the Best” Grand Jury

    Mumbai: Effie Global Best of the Best stands as the world’s most definitive effectiveness awards program. A beacon for the industry, drawing on the very best ideas work from around the world.

    Three industry stalwarts from India known for their extensive body of work will be part of the Grand Jury to determine the winners. Bringing their experience and insights to the jury discussions will be –

    Mr. Partha Sinha, President, The Times of India Group

    Mr. Suresh Narayanan, Chairman & MD, Nestle India and

    Ms. Suparna Mitra, CEO, Watches & Wearables Division, Titan Company Ltd.

    Global Grand Judges will review the Grand contenders selected to move forward in the competition to determine the Global Grand Effie Winners. The Global Grand Effie winners will then move on to compete for the Iridium Effie, the single most effective marketing effort worldwide. The grand jury will take place in September, 2023 in Singapore.

    The Global Best of the Best is everything its name suggests. A platform built on all the learnings, insights, data and experience gained from the industry and the entrants. It will select from only the work that has achieved Gold or Grand Effie winning status.

    Five other industry stalwarts from India have been selected to be part of the Round One judging

    Ms. Neha Ahuja, Director, Head of Marketing, Spotify India;

    Mr. Mitrajit Bhattacharya, Founder & President, The Horologists;

    Ms. Ruchika Gupta, Marketing Director, Beam Suntory India;

    Mr. Sujit Ganguli, Chief Marketing Officer, ICICI Bank; and

    Mr. Neil George, General Manager & Managing Director, Abbott Nutrition India.

    The round one judging will be done online. 

  • Nestle internal report damns 60 per cent of its own food portfolio

    Nestle internal report damns 60 per cent of its own food portfolio

    Mumbai: Global food major Nestle promises – Good food, good life. But is the parent company of household names like Maggi, Milkmaid, Kitkat, Nescafé, Nestea iced tea et al true to its word? An internal document leak from the firm revealed that more than 60 per cent of its food portfolio does not meet health standards.

    An internal presentation circulated among top executives of Nestle earlier this year revealed that more than 60 percent of Nestle’s mainstream food and drinks portfolio did not meet the recognised definition of health, Financial Times has reported. This excludes products like pet food, baby food and specialised medical nutrition.

    The report also mentions that 96 per cent of its beverages excluding pure coffee, and as much as 99 per cent of its confectionery and ice cream portfolio also failed to meet the mark.

    The company has acknowledged that only 37 per cent of Nestle’s food and beverage products had a rating of over 3.5 out of 5, as per Australia’s health star rating system.  

    The most damning part in the report, however, is that the processed foods giant admits that some of its products will never be healthy, no matter how much it renovates.   

    In response, Nestlé issued a statement to say it is “working on a company-wide project to update its pioneering nutrition and health strategy”. It further said: “We are looking at our entire portfolio across the different phases of people’s lives to ensure our products are helping meet their nutritional needs and supporting a balanced diet.”

    In its defence, the world’s largest food maker said that efforts were ongoing over decades to improve the nutritional footprint of its products, stating, “For example, we have reduced the sugars and sodium in our products significantly in the past two decades, about 14-15 per cent in the past seven years alone.” According to the FT, Nestle plans to unveil a new strategy this year.

    Processed foods were never considered healthy to begin with, but in light of these revelations, there is now a renewed scrutiny on these products.

    In today’s times when healthy living is the key buzzword and the biggest selling point globally, the last thing a food company would want is to be labelled as unhealthy!

    On its part, Nestle India issued a statement stating: “Nestle India believes that nutrition is a fundamental need and the food industry has a vital role to play in enabling healthier lives. Driven by our purpose, we are constantly striving to increase the nutrient profile of our products as well as innovate with new and nutritious offerings”.

    As far as Nestle India’s portfolio is concerned, it is somewhat different from its parent company with only nine out of Nestle’s 35 billionaire brands having a presence in India. Hence the news may not have much of an impact here.

    Certainly not as much as the Maggi crisis, which the brand tided over, and that had literally threatened its very existence in the country back in 2015. Maggi Noodles, which contributed over 25 per cent of the company’s revenue in India, was accused of having lead content beyond permissible levels.

    Despite the bad news reports it generated for the popular snack brand, with its reputation taking a huge cut, it has bounced right back regaining its market share in the country.

     Even while most people are well aware that instant noodles and processed foods are unhealthy, they continue to consume them. Maggi may be the best example but it’s far from being the only one. The whole consumer packaged foods industry needs to take a good hard look at itself, if it wishes to remain relevant in a woke world, with consumers becoming increasingly health-conscious.

    Whether this latest controversy around one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies will have any impact or effect any long-term changes in the packaged foods industry remains to be seen.

  • Nestle India posts strong Q1 performance, net profit surges 14.6%

    Nestle India posts strong Q1 performance, net profit surges 14.6%

    NEW DELHI: FMCG major Nestle India posted a strong performance in the opening quarter of 2021, reporting a 14.6 per cent year-on-year growth in its net profit. Beating estimates, its PAT stood at Rs 602 crore, up from Rs 525 crore in the year-ago period.

    Total sales increased by 8.9 per cent during the quarter, while domestic sales rose by 10.2 per cent, mainly driven by volume and mix.

    The consumer goods giant’s revenue from operations during the quarter came in at Rs 3,610.8 crore, a surge of 8.6 per cent from Rs 3,325 crore in the same period last year.

    Its e-commerce operations have continued to pay dividends and grew by 66 per cent to maintain its robust contribution to the domestic sales.

    Export sales were lower by 12.9 per cent due to lower exports to affiliates. Demand in out of home channel has improved in the quarter but still remains impacted by Covid2019, the company said in a BSE filing.

    Key brands like Maggi noodles, Kitkat, Nescafé Classic, Maggi sauces, Milkmaid, Maggi Masala-e-Magic have also performed strongly and achieved double digit growth in Q1.

    “As the pandemic rages on, the quarter gone by has been another test of resilience of my team and our partners,” said Nestle India chairman & MD Suresh Narayanan. “I feel incredibly privileged to lead a team who faced with serious challenges, persevered regardless, to deliver double digit growth over a strong comparable in 2020. It is tribute to the commitment of the team to serve consumers as best as we could during the pandemic.”

    At the operating level, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) in Q1 grew by 17.1 per cent to Rs 929.8 crore and margin expanded 190 bps to 25.8 percent compared to the year-ago period.

  • Nestle India clocks double digit growth on the back of in-home consumption

    Nestle India clocks double digit growth on the back of in-home consumption

    NEW DELHI: Nestle India has clocked total sales of Rs 3,525 crore in Q3 2020 ending on September 30, 2020. Domestic sales as well as total sales grew at 10.2 per cent and the total profit during this period was Rs 587 crore. As a result, the company has announced an interim dividend of Rs 135 per equity share.

    The FMCG company registered double digital growth in key brands boosted by in-home consumption. Interestingly, the demand for ‘Out of Home’ channels has also improved during the quarter. Also, the e‐commerce segment grew by 97 per cent, contributing about 4 per cent of domestic sales. 

    Nestle India chairman & MD Suresh Narayanan announced that the company has planned an investment of Rs 2,600 crore over in India over the next three to four years. This is to augment their existing manufacturing capacities, as well as towards the construction of a ‘state of the art’ factory in Sanand, Gujarat, he added.

    “I am extremely proud of my team, our distribution partners, hundreds of suppliers including MSMEs, many thousand farmers, agencies, service providers large and small, as well other stakeholders in our business, for their determination, anticipation, tenacity, imagination and sheer hard work that has helped us achieve a strong performance this quarter. This has been achieved in the face of daunting challenges in operations thrown at us by this pandemic. We are proud of our 108‐year long association with the nation and nearly six‐decade long manufacturing journey,” Narayanan said.

    The quarter witnessed growth driven by an improved supply situation, with factories returning to normal output. Key brands like Maggi Noodles, Maggi Sauces, Kitkat, Nestlé Munch, Nescafe Classic & Nescafe Sunrise witnessed double digit growth on the back of increased in-home consumption.

    “Demand in ‘Out of Home’ channels improved during the quarter but continues to be impacted due to the overall environment. We continued our strong performance in the e‐commerce channels, which grew by 97 per cent and now contributes about 4 per cent of domestic sales,” the company stated in its Q3 earnings report.