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Building for inclusion: nestlé’s blueprint for leadership recruitment.

by HRD Connect | Case Studies

• Date published: Sep 29, 2021

With organic sales growth of 7.7% in Q1 2021, Nestlé has continued to thrive during the pandemic . The food manufacturing giant has also continued to diversify, notably in the vitamins market .

However some of the biggest changes have been witnessed in the firm’s workforce. The pandemic has forced this traditionally ‘in-office’ company to embrace new ways of working and rethink the structure of its teams.

As Paul Steadman, head of human resources for Nestlé’s UK business units explains, this has obliged the company to demand new skills of its leaders – and adapt its approach to recruiting top talent.

“There’s a lot of talk about disruption,” says Paul Steadman. “But for us, disruptive environments can be quite intimidating. 

“We want people to be able to thrive in disruption. If we want to innovate in this climate, we’ve got to be able to challenge assumptions and status quos – even if they’ve only just been coined. When we’re recruiting, these abilities are probably going to be more indicative of a person’s ability to succeed than any particular skill set that they come with.”

With this briefest of synopses, Paul encapsulates his company’s approach to hiring- and, in particular, leadership recruitment.

Major shift

Founded in the 1860s, Nestlé has over 350 factories worldwide. Like all manufacturing enterprises, it has traditionally been an ‘in-person’ organisation; in the UK, for example, activity has been driven by two key hubs, one near Gatwick airport and the other in York. However, the pandemic has forced a major rethink.

Although many employees were enjoying some form of flexible working before Covid-19, the pandemic has taken this into overdrive (in fact, the number of desks at some key sites is dropping around 50%). And while two-thirds of the workforce have continued to work in factories and distribution centres out of necessity, the remaining third has embraced some form of remote working. 

Rather than try to stymie these inevitable changes, Paul and his colleagues have taken the opportunity to create a more enlightened approach to work. There are no fixed contracts governing the amount of time that colleagues will spend in the office. Staff are, in theory at least, free to work from anywhere in the UK, provided they are productive and continuously connected.

Additionally, the old idea of the office as a place of hierarchy and confinement has gone, forever. In Paul’s words, it is now a fulcrum for connection and learning; team members will come because of incentive, rather than obligation.

This new way of working is underpinned by technology. Hot-desking has been introduced, enabled by an app – which enables colleagues to book a desk before they even arrive at the office. Another app allows colleagues to order food in a way that is socially distanced and safe. 

As time goes on, this move towards tech-enabled freedom will continue. “We will continually leverage app-based technology to allow people to take the decisions about where they will best be productive in real-time,” Paul says. “That’s definitely the way forward.”

However, the model is founded on vital human values: trust, communication and collaboration. 

Everything is about securing consensus; for example, teams are now encouraged to agree when they are going to be in the office together, so they can connect and collaborate. Soft skills, based on compassion rather than control, are more important than ever. 

“With more flexibility comes the need for more explicit commitment to each other,” Paul says. “The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of high levels of empathy, emotional intelligence, of being able to have high-quality two-way conversations.”

A new approach to leadership

With this new approach to working comes new requirements for leaders. The old, didactic way of working, based on instruction and enforcement, is no longer valid. Nestlé, like many other companies, requires new, softer skills from its leaders.

“Inclusive leadership” is the term Paul uses to describe the altered approach. “You can have a diverse team but if you’re not inclusive, if people don’t feel they can be their true selves at work, you’ll lose them. 

“We have put a big focus on psychological safety. We want individuals to not only be themselves but also to express an opinion, to learn, to be free to make mistakes without fear of retribution. Everyone wants to do the job right but you won’t do that all the time. 

“You have to feel you’ve got permission to contribute ideas, even if that idea is not the one people move forward with. And it’s the permission to challenge… to challenge leaders, challenge people with more seniority or experience, or simply people who are seen as more powerful influencers in the business. They may be your peers, they may not be more senior, but they may be recognised as more powerful.

“The leader is fundamental to this. We need leaders who talk less and listen more, and are attuned to the needs of others, as well as keeping a high focus on achieving goals. Being aware of your blind spots means you are better able to work on them and you can allow for that in your interactions with others.”

Hiring for change

To achieve this vision of leadership, based on empathy and the ability to hold open, honest dialogue with colleagues, Paul and his team have built a new, remote-friendly interview structure, using Microsoft Teams. 

Typically each recruitment project consists of two to three interviews, although the precise number varies from one case to the next. What never changes, however, is the core structure of the interviews themselves.

Currently, the people leadership team have decided not to use psychometric tests (assessments that gauge a candidate’s suitability based on aptitude). Instead, Paul says, they gauge the suitability of candidates by asking specific questions about their previous experience, focusing on the way they have demonstrated the desired leadership characteristics.

“For example, I would ask when is the last time they arranged for some meaningful feedback from their teams about their impact as a leader, and ask them to be quite specific about the insights they received.

“I’m looking to find out not only their competency at a certain activity but also the areas they’re working on, based on that feedback. I’d also want to understand how they’ve adapted their leadership approach based on the circumstances and context of the teams they’re leading.

“The answers tell you a lot, because the questions are difficult to answer on your feet. You can’t just create compelling answers in the moment. You have to have thought about the question previously. So we can gauge levels of insight and impact quite authentically.

“We’re not looking for people to be perfect, because none of us are. We’re looking for a mindset. What’s their level of self-awareness? Do they understand the impact they have on others in their teams, and their peers? Are they aware of their development areas, and what are they doing about them? And what do they do to create an environment where people can speak up and thrive and where difference is embraced, rather than seen as a threat or a problem?”

Specifically, the interviewers zoom in on the candidate’s desire to gauge their own progress, and the impact they make on their people.

“We want to know how they track their leadership, and how they track and monitor it. We’re always keen to see how leaders quantify and track their own impact as leaders as well as their own impact on the bottom line. We’re looking to see whether leaders are keen to measure their impact as a leader.”

Attitude = aptitude 

Through these incisive questions, Paul wants to gauge not so much his candidates’ ability, but rather the factors that drive them. Nestlé’s people leaders are devotees of strength-based assessments for their young academy entrants, an approach that uses a series of principles to gauge a candidate’s motivation to succeed.

“It’s an approach used by at least 30/40% of blue-chip companies,” Paul says. “Traditionally recruitment has been based on competencies, but strength-based assessment is about what energises people, because that’s what they tend to be best at. We use this approach with our academy entrants. It focuses on where people draw their positive energy and motivation from across a range of subjects and topics, rather than what they simply tolerate.”

Retooling for change

In addition to revamping their approach to interviews, Paul and his team have devoted considerable time to training existing leaders, those who have been in the business at least nine months and have had time to make an impression on their teams. The training is designed to ensure each leader is attuned to the demands of empathetic, inclusive leadership, and it is based on feedback surveys carried out with individual team members. 

Paul and his team aim to find out whether each employee can give their views without fear of retribution; whether they have their own personal development plan; whether they feel their skills are being fully utilised; and whether they have a clear sense of what the organisation is trying to do, and their role within it. This feedback is then channelled into personalised plans for each leader, delivered through a variety of channels.

“It’s partly webinars but there are analytics too, and we take the leaders through that,” Paul explains. “They drive the process themselves, seeking out the feedback from their teams using a suite of analytical tools. We also provide coaches from inside the business, to help them review the results and draw meaning from them.

“We want them to identify very simple but high-impact action plans on how they want to improve or change. If you ask people to do more than two or three things, by and large I think you’re asking too much.

“It’s about identifying the things that will make the biggest impact on their performance as leaders.”

A new, more diverse workforce

Eighteen months into the pandemic, Nestlé’s headline stats are impressive. A total of 1130 people have been recruited since the start of lockdown, with over 500 onboarded into the organisation virtually. Recruitment levels are now back up to their pre-Covid levels.

An equally encouraging factor is the diversity statistics; for instance, forty-five percent of Nestlé line managers in the UK and Ireland are now women. Nestlé has long been ahead of the game in this area – as far back as 2016, it was named the world’s most diverse food company – but now Paul and his team in the UK and Ireland are building on this progress. 

“We’re using virtual connections to try and accelerate the recruitment of people from under-represented groups,” Paul says. “We’ve established links with external partners to understand the best routes in, the best channels to make ourselves visible to under-represented groups. Senior leaders are getting more involved in mentoring. And we’re partnering with schools. 

“One example is a social enterprise programme called Wildhearts, which has links with nearly 40,000 pupils. They’re working with them on both a physical and a virtual basis, and we’ve reached just over 7,000 pupils this year. We’re not just aiming to educate them on Nestlé, but also help as part of the educational programme on sustainability, and help them on employability.”

As well as the human imperative behind the diversity agenda, Nestlé´s people leaders believe it makes business sense, too. The broader the talent pool, the greater their chance of finding the leaders they need. In Paul’s words, “a diverse workforce gives us our best chance of being successful.”

Despite all the progress, Paul says he and his team are still in a ‘test-and-learn’ phase: they are trialling various tactics to fine-tune their recruitment operation, and some will be phased out.

Nonetheless, Paul is delighted with the progress that has been made since the start of Covid-19, and believes it will have a long-term impact on Nestlé’s leadership profile.

“We’ve had to go fully digital, which has been quite a pivot. But we’ve been successful doing it. There’ve been some advantages – for example, we’ve been able to demonstrate our flexibility to candidates, working to their schedules as well as ours. And we feel that things like doing right-to-work checks online has really helped to speed the recruitment process up. We would like that to continue and are asking the government about that.

“We’ve put some really progressive policies in place too. For example, we’re able to arrange interviews outside traditional office hours, and we’re mindful that people’s access to digital platforms is not equal. So we’ve educated managers to be mindful about access. It might be about settings, it might be about interruptions, it might be about something as simple as the quality of their bandwidth. It’s about putting individuals at ease that if they have difficulties, we can and will work around them. 

“Ultimately, we want to provide a high-quality candidate experience. The candidate is looking to us as much as we’re looking to them. We want to balance decision-making with pace, so they feel the process is moving forward and everything is fully visible.

“We feel we are achieving that. And we believe it will translate into the inclusive, diverse leadership we need.”

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How Nestlé Became The World's Largest Food Company

Table of contents.

Let’s trace the origins of Nestlé and its exceptional legacy of 150+ years that have led it to become a company with:

• Market cap of $326.07 Billion as of Feb 9, 2023
• Over 2000 brands worldwide
• Monumental presence in 186 countries
• A workforce of nearly 276,000 employees
• Revenue of CHF 87.1 billion in 2021
• 354 factories in 79 countries

Grab a Kit Kat or sit back with a cup of freshly brewed Nescafe, and let’s go back to 1866 , the year it all began.

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A Merger Lays The Foundation Of Nestlé’s Success

The story of Nestlé begins with Henri Nestlé of Vevey, a namesake of the company, and unsurprisingly, its founder. But it is also linked with two brothers, Charles and George Page, who were located far away in America at the time.

While the world of business was not a global village back then, perhaps it was fate, the love for milk, or sheer successful marketing strategy that brought the businesses of the two together to form the Nestlé we see today.

The creation of Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company

Charles Page was a U.S. consul who visited Switzerland and became intrigued by its Swiss cows and beautiful meadows. The country had been a primary milk production center since the 19th century due to its available resources of high-quality cows and attracted people with a passion for milk production from far and wide. 

Page was one such individual with a different aspiration: he wanted to create condensed milk. Easy to store and transport, condensed milk, according to him, was the next big thing in the entrepreneurial world. 

Therefore, with his brother George Page, he created the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company and opened the doors of the first-ever condensed milk factory in Switzerland, in the town of Cham, in 1866.

Henri experiments

Meanwhile, Henri Nestlé was a local pharmacist in Vevey who loved experimenting with anything and everything he could get his hands on. This meant creating incredible food fusions was right up his alley.

During the 1860s, infant mortality rates remained a grave problem in Switzerland. As a man with 13 siblings, Henri understood the woes of infants. Yet, the turning point came when he saw that premature babies faced difficulty in consuming breast milk.

Invoking his creativity, he combined available resources and his scientific knowledge to produce “ Farine Lactee ” in 1867, an infant formula made with cow’s milk, wheat flour, and sugar.

This proved to be a breakthrough, and soon, sales increased to 1000+ cans in 1871 and more than 2000 in 1873. Two years later, Nestlé’s products could be found worldwide, including but not limited to Indonesia, Egypt, and the U.S.

As sales increased exponentially, Henri gave his company a logo symbolizing his family name that meant “Little Nest”. The logo, therefore, contained a bird’s nest.

Today, the logo has been simplified but remains its original idea and charm as an ode to the founder.

A rivalry emerges

In 1875, Henri retired, and the company was led forth by three local businessmen in Vevey. However, simultaneously, the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company expanded to newer markets in Europe, and upon discovering Nestlé’s infant formula and its success, it developed a rival product and floated it into the market.

To Nestlé, this was nothing less than a declaration of industry war, and soon after, Nestlé added a new product to its portfolio: a Farine Lactee condensed milk. Fierce competition developed, followed by price wars and predatory market strategies.

As both companies competed for a greater market share and ROI on their rival products, it did not come as a surprise when both began generating lower revenues and making losses.

The price war lasted roughly for about 30 years until the death of all three – Henri, George, and Charles.

In 1905, the current directors of the companies agreed to halt their rivalry and combine their businesses for greater market share, revenues, and expanded reach over the globe.

As a result, Nestlé and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. was founded – that eventually became Nestlé.

Certificate for 100 shares of the Nestlé and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co., issued 1. November 1918

Key takeaway 1: leave emotion out of strategy

For many years, Henri and the Page brothers went head to head in the milk industry, expanding into European markets, creating substitute rival products, adopting predatory pricing strategies, and undercutting price benchmarks. 

All this only yielded the worst for both businesses in the form of reduced revenues, higher price elasticity of demand, and a confused clientele.

Their saving grace was the strategic decision of the directors to call a truce and join forces – shared winners over lone losers. With the main competition becoming the same company, the focus was brought back to improving operations and opting for practices the business could sustain. Resultantly, the only path now was onwards and upwards.

This means foresight, strategy, and impartial business sense take priority over emotional responses, especially in the business world.

World War I, Government Contracts, & Innovative Strategies

Most companies take a few years to establish themselves in their local markets, minimizing risks. Only once they are comfortably settled and have enough brand appeal and resources to expand do they risk entering the global market.

But Nestle is not like most companies, is it?

Henri Nestle had become a big player in the Western Europe Market, and Page Brothers were leading the way in Britain. Thus, the merger already allowed Nestle to be the go-to condensed milk brand.

From there, it was always going to spread itself and capture as much of the global share as it could, and so it did. Within a decade, this newly merged company had taken its operations around the world, establishing factories in the UK, Europe, the United States, and Asia.

An unexpected opportunity

WWI broke out in 1914, and the scale of disruption around the globe was huge.  Almost every industry was affected. Some thrived and grew, but many collapsed or barely survived.

Nestle also faced an initial period of hardship where it was difficult to maintain its supplies due to severe shortages, and maintaining a smooth distribution network in Europe was near impossible. Hence, most of their supplies ran out of catering to the needs of locals.

However, the war presented a unique opportunity. The demand for milk shot up, and consequently, governments around the world sought contracts with major milk producers and distributors.

Nestle acquired several of these contracts that enabled it to not only come out of the difficult situation it was in but also rapidly expand its operations. It developed most of its factories in the US, where supply and distribution were easier, and recovery began. In fact, by the end of the war, the company had over 40 factories in the world, nearly doubling Nestlé’s overall production.

Moving forward by embracing innovation

Of course, the circumstances around WWI were unusual and worked in favor of Nestle. But it wasn’t the only reason the firm grew at such a pace. Research and innovation had defined the companies that came together to form Nestle. Hence, the same qualities were inherited and ingrained in Nestle. At a time where global infrastructure was going through a phase of transformation, Nestle was at the forefront of it utilizing it and spreading it.

For instance, railways and steamships were the new business logistics, and they became the company’s ticket into established and untapped urban markets overseas. Print media became the main face of modern marketing. Nestle cleverly capitalized on it by projecting its brand through newspapers, magazines, and billboards. The adverts focused on what made the company stand out: quality, taste, nutrition, safety, and affordability – characteristics Nestle still proudly stands by.

All while these advancements were being embraced, Nestle didn’t lose sight of what they were truly about: their products. Hence, as far as production is concerned, they continued to introduce more efficient methods in their factories, expanding their capacity and boosting quality.

Key takeaway 2: growth follows the ambitious

Both World Wars were make-or-break events. From a decrease in demand to a disruption in supply, Nestle faced all sorts of challenges. But Nestle, even before it merged, was always looking for opportunities to grow, and the government contracts gained during the war were essentially the result of it. If Nestle didn’t have its operations worldwide, it would never have captured the governmental radar. It may have survived the shortage; it may not have.

These contracts allowed the company to grow, which worked perfectly with its innovative strategies, such as tapping urban markets and marketing using print media to enhance the brand appeal and create brand affinity. This highlights the importance of being proactive and always looking for potential opportunities, even in challenging times. 

World Wars & Expanding The Product Portfolio

1918 , the year WWI finally ended.

The fighting did stop, but the unstable economic situation the world was in couldn’t be fixed easily. Nestle’s government contracts were up, and it found itself amongst the many companies facing the force of the crisis. To add to their difficulties, consumers that had shifted to condensed milk during the war shifted back to fresh milk as supply resumed.

The company went into a loss for the first time in 1921 .

Timely response

At that point, sales were down, and production costs were high for Nestle. Its operations needed an overhaul to reach sustainability. For this purpose, Swiss banker Louis Dapples was handed the task of reorganizing the company.

Not only was he able to match production and sales, but the move also helped Nestle clear its outstanding debt. Thereafter, the company spent a good part of the decade staying afloat and focusing on sustaining its operations.

More than a milk company

First milk, and then condensed milk; despite having a global reach, Nestle hadn’t really made an effort to expand its product portfolio.

Perhaps, till the 1920s , it had never felt the need to. It had been growing at a rapid pace and adding several countries to its customer base. Now, as growth stagnated and consumer demand shifted to fresh milk, something different had to be done.

Thus, they made a series of acquisitions that opened their doors to new industries, the most notable of which was the Kohler Swiss Chocolate company in the mid-1920s . Consequently, chocolate became the second most important product of Nestle.

‍ Nestlé buys Switzerland's largest chocolate company Peter-Cailler-Kohler

Alongside chocolate, the company also introduced malted milk, a powdered beverage named Milo, and powdered buttermilk for small children.

Malted chocolate drink Milo launches in Australia

The Nescafe revolution

The chocolate business was going well for Nestle, but they were yet to launch the product that would change the company’s future forever.

In 1930 , the Brazilian Coffee Institute approached the company with a unique problem. Brazil had a huge surplus of coffee, but there was no real demand or use at the time. Nestle spent the next 8 years researching and experimenting with products to develop from this coffee.

While the Brazilians suggested coffee cubes, Nestle had a better idea instead.

Voila, in 1938 , Nestle launched “Nescafe” an instant soluble coffee solution, the first of its kind and one of the most popular Nestle products to date. This was later followed by Nestea, another incredibly popular product that continues to drive the tastes of many across the globe today.

Nestlé launches NESCAFÉ in Switzerland on 1 April 1938

The USA again becomes the helping hand

There was immense potential in Nescafe, but at the same time, Nestle began to experience the severe impacts of WWII even before it broke into a worldwide conflict. The company’s revenues nosedived from $20 million in 1938 to $6 million in 1939 .

Although Switzerland remained neutral in both world wars, the situation in Europe was highly volatile, and business could not be conducted normally. Again, Nestle looked towards America by shifting its base of operations to Connecticut, far away from the conflict.

Their previous experience during WWI had allowed the company to form healthy relationships with the states, which helped them settle in. Unfortunately, the USA could not stay away from the war for too long and joined the allies in 1941 .

For Nestle, it was a complete blessing; Nescafe became a staple food for the US military as it was easily preservable, and the taste has already become a hit. Hence, without having to spend a fortune on advertisements, the coffee product penetrated worldwide, and funnily, its first brand ambassadors were allied soldiers.

Nestle sent tons and tons of Nescafe to the frontlines and managed to turn around their sales completely. From making $100 million in 1938 to reaching up to $225 million in 1945 .

Key takeaway 3: diversify and innovate

The end of WWI and the economic depression brought by it made life difficult for almost every business, including Nestle. Plus, the fact that customers preferred fresh milk instead of condensed milk meant that Nestle found it difficult to sustain its business. 

Customers’ demands and preferences, as well as the market scenarios, can change drastically over time. Nestle learned that they needed to be flexible enough to adapt and bold enough to take risks. Otherwise, they will be left with no choice but to shut up shop. 

This is when the milk company gradually began expanding by introducing new products and exploring new markets. It, in turn, allowed the company to grow despite the difficult situation.

Hence, companies should never rest on their laurels and try to improve consistently, be it by innovating, branching out, and increasing the quality and quantity of products or services they offer.

Growth Through Acquisitions and Diversification

The end of the world war had set the perfect stage for Nestle to take its business to the next level. Sales were at an all-time high, Nescafe and Nestea were making waves, and through military and government supports, the company had opened up new markets for its products.

On top of it, the world did not go into a similar depression like WWI. Instead, it marked a period of stability and peace, one which firms everywhere looked to capitalize on. Likewise, Nestle did not waste any time in getting in on the action and making some very key and monumental moves. In fact, these post-war years are often termed as the most dynamic period in the company's history!

Seasoned Maggi Soups and Broadein Food Products

As the world recovered from the war, Nestle followed an aggressive acquisition policy acquiring multiple brands worldwide. The most significant name it added to its portfolio was fellow Swiss company, Maggi.

The journey for this soup and noodles company started somewhat around the same time as that of Henri Nestle. Its founder, Julius Maggi shared the same vision of serving nutritious yet convenient foods to the public.

After the war, in 1947 , Maggi went through a number of restructurings and changes in leadership. Resultantly, the best way for the company to move forward was to join hands with Nestle. Their established factories in numerous countries introduced the Maggi brand to the world, and it became a sensation. In fact, in many Asian regions, Maggi is synonymous with instant noodles.

The Magic of Maggi

Following Maggi’s acquisition, Nestle took over several other firms in the food industry, including:

• 1960 : Crosse & Blackwell, a British can and preserved food manufacturer
• 1963 : Findus, a Swedish frozen food company
• 1971: American fruit juices company Libby
• 1973: Stouffer, a frozen and prepared foods brand

With these moves, Nestle extended its product range and established a stronghold in the preserved foods industry.

Developing new & improving existing “convenience” products

While Nestle spread its wings by bringing other brands under its umbrella, it did not lose sight of the products it developed itself.

For instance, the Nescafe coffee, which had been a huge success during the war, continued its astonishing path upwards. From 1950 to 1959 , its sales almost tripled, and with the development of an anti-freeze version in 1966 , its sales quadrupled in the next decade.

Simultaneously, Nestle also worked on launching new products. In 1948 , it further embedded itself in American households with Nesquik, a chocolate powder that would instantly mix in cold milk. 

Owing to the product’s success, they even introduced the Nesquik Bunny to win over both adults and children.

During the same time, Nestle rebranded its infant cereals as Cerelac while launching an extensive range of canned foods under Maggi.

Diversifying beyond the food industry

By the 1970s , Nestle had well and truly occupied a dominant position in the food industry. It was now time to step out of the comfort zone and venture into new industries.

The big break came in 1974 when Nestle made a move for a Parisian hair care company, L'Oréal. Established in 1909 , this company had gone from making hair dyes to a full range of cosmetic care products. It has also formed a loyal customer base in France.

With big plans, Nestle offered the family owners of L'Oréal a 3% stake in Nestle in return for a 50% share. The offer was too attractive to refuse, and the two companies entered into a new partnership. This merger reaped multifold returns for both parties, and by the 1980s , the brand was the leader in its industry.

The cosmetic arena wasn’t the only one Nestle aimed to capture. There was an economic slowdown and general volatility between the French and Swiss markets. The price of cocoa and coffee went up more than three times. Nestle decided to take a risk and leap into waters it had never been in before.

In 1977 , it also became the owner of the American pharmaceutical company, Alcon. This, too, was a success with the brand operating in 75+ countries and being sold more than twice that number.

Merger to remember & the future of coffee

Nestle never looked to slow down despite its numerous acquisitions and diverse brand offerings.

In 1984 , it offered a mind-blowing $3 billion to buy out the food company, Carnation. Many believe this to be one of the largest acquisitions outside the oil industry – at least at the time. The scale of the deal was such that it took a year for it to be approved and finalized.

It wasn’t just being in the same industry that sparked Nestle’s interest; it was also the fact that Carnation had a diverse portfolio, including a profitable pet food brand, Friskies, and Contadino tomato products.

Nestle also added UK confectionery company Rowntree Mackintosh to its list of acquisitions in 1988 , giving it ownership of popular chocolates, Kitkat and Smarties. In the same year, it also included Buitoni-Perugina, a major Italian pasta and confectionery company to its mix.

Alongside the mergers, Nestle was also actively working on making a comeback with its coffee products. Thus, in 1986 , it rolled out Nespresso, a premium version of its coffee, different from the previous freeze-dried budget version. The idea behind it was simple: present a DIY system for any person who wanted to enjoy luxury coffee.

Key takeaway 4: seek opportunities in both new and existing industries

Many firms that plan to diversify their portfolios lose grip on their main industry. Nestle wasn’t one of them. Its initial strategy for growth post-WWII was to cement its hold in the food industry with a series of acquisitions and new product offerings. Then, it made its move in other industries while still improving on its basic offerings of food, coffee, and chocolate-related products.

Nestle grew exponentially by tactfully merging and acquiring companies it thought would add value to its brand. This paid off handsomely and turned Nestle into a force to be reckoned with. It highlights the need for brands to enhance their value offerings, using whatever means they have at their disposal, right from diversifying to collaborating with others.

International Force - Nestle's Global Strategy

With the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, markets in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as China opened up. Trade barriers disintegrated, liberalization picked up the pace, and economic markets around the globe started to integrate well.

This proved to be quite beneficial for Nestle. There were new diverse markets to expand to and favorable policies that encouraged them – not that they needed any second invitation. 

Onwards & upwards with tactful acquisitions

From the late 1990s to the late 2000s, Nestle went on an aggressive acquisition spree and acquired the following companies:

• San Pellegrino group , the leading Italian mineral water business, in 1998 paved the way for Nestle to launch Nestle Pure Life and lead in Europe while making a way into developing countries worldwide.
• Spillers Petfoods in 1998 enabled Nestle to cement its position as a key player in the pet food business around the globe and Europe in particular.
• Ralston Purina , U.S.'s pet food business, in 2002 and merged with Nestlé Friskies Petcare, creating a market leader in the pet care industry, Nestlé Purina Petcare.
• The U.S. ice cream business merged with Dreyer's in 2002, establishing Nestle as the leader in the U.S., the world's largest ice cream market. 
• Movenpick Ice Cream in 2003 to complement Nestle's super-premium ice cream brands portfolio in North America and Italy.
• Delta Ice Cream in 2005 as Nestle's realized that the ice cream business was a profitable opportunity and the company could make inroad in the growing Greek and Balkans ice cream market.
• Chef America Inc in 2002 as Nestle continued with its horizontal integration and expanded into the frozen foods market, which was growing.
• Jenny Craig and Uncle Toby's in 2006 as Nestle wanted to stay true to its commitment to nutrition, health, and wellness and reinforce its presence in the U.S., the world's largest nutrition and weight management market.
• Medical Nutrition division of Novartis Pharmaceutical in 2007 as it was complementary to Nestle's Healthcare Nutrition Business and enhanced Nestle's capabilities to cater to the needs of its customers with special nutritional requirements.
• Henniez in 2007 to augment its position in the competitive Swiss bottled water market, leveraging the solid industrial capacity and distribution network of the company.
• Gerber , the iconic U.S. baby food brand, in 2007 became the number 1 player in the U.S., the world's largest baby food market, transforming Nestle Nutrition into a global leader.

A number of other partnerships were also made, such as the one with Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini , helping Nestle augment its position in the food and nutrition industry while allowing it to diversify in health, wellness, and beauty.

Now, why did Nestle do that?

The answer is to remain attuned to the changing consumer tastes and remains ahead in a market that never stays still.

Sure, continuous innovation is essential, but Nestle didn't just rely on that and continued to acquire businesses and benefit from synergies to become the undisputed leader in the business world.

All this while, Nestle has remained true to its roots and continued to delight its customers worldwide.

Realizing that with expanding its global footprint, there was bound to be an array of issues that it needed to deal with effectively, Nestle launched a Group-wide initiative called GLOBE (Global Business Excellence) .

The primary purpose behind this initiative was to harmonize and simplify business processes and empower Nestle to make the most of its competitive advantage while alleviating the risks and drawbacks.

Key takeaway 5: growth & diversification through acquisition

From San Pellegrino in 1997 to Henniez and Gerber in 2007, Nestle's relentless strategy to acquire an array of businesses in different markets, ranging from pet care and baby food to ice cream and bottled water, strengthened its overall position and breathed new life into the company.

Nestle not only wanted to expand to new product lines but also become the market leader in all of them, in different parts of the world. The fastest and most effective way to do just that was through strategic acquisitions. 

In an ever-evolving market, staying still or focusing solely on a select few activities is risky for large businesses. The key, at times, to grow is to embrace an external growth strategy by acquisitions in different industries with distinctive lines of business.

Commitment To Innovation

Nestle stays firmly committed to its goals of helping people, families, and pets around the globe live happier and healthier lives. From meeting the ever-evolving needs of the modern consumer to providing safe and premium-quality of food on-demand, Nestle does it all.

However, it understands that dramatic shifts are happening in the market with consumer demands dynamically changing, new entrants offering endless choices, and people living and shopping in ways never seen before.

Winning in such an environment requires disruption and a hybrid-growth model. No one understands that better than Nestle, and here’s how it is driving value from its base portfolio while embracing new ventures to scale up.

Nestle: 150-year-old start-up innovating from within

Unlike other business entities that outsource the innovation part and fail to prepare for the future, Nestle has strategically decided to combine its scale and capabilities with the mentality and speed of a start-up.

InGenius , Nestlé's employee innovation accelerator, is the ultimate platform that encourages intrapreneurship within the company. Internal start-ups within the company are launched , and employees are encouraged to think big and creatively.

Moreover, Nestle’s global R&D accelerator program brings together scientists, students, and employees, empowering them to come up with new innovative products.

Lean designs, fast prototyping, quick testing, continuous hustling, and room for big risks make the incubator program a success. The goal of the internal start-ups is to help promptly develop new product lines from scratch within 9 months, paving the way for the future of food.

What’s more is that employees are given challenges to solve, ranging from improving the quality of food to helping achieve the net-zero target. On top of this, Nestle also helps young social entrepreneurs, outside its fold, by offering them holistic support, mentorship, and access to its R&D and innovation experts by partnering up with Ashoka – an organization that identifies and supports social entrepreneurs.

Rethinking & reinventing

To better tap into today’s consumer trends, Nestle goes the extra mile to revive the brands with modern innovation.

It does this by introducing new varieties of products and adding unique flavors to attract new customers and retain existing ones. For instance, in 2017 alone, Nestle launched 1000 new products. Yes, that’s right!

From bringing in new flavors of juices and milk to launching frozen organic meals and non-dairy desserts, among others, it tries its best to exceed its customers’ expectations.

Enhancing capabilities

Fueling growth through innovation and improving operational efficiency are two key components of Nestle’s value creation model.

While innovation is considered everyone’s job at Nestle , increasing operational efficiency is also stressed.

Each and every aspect of the business, be it hiring people, using data analytics to make decisions based on logic, optimizing supply chains, or deploying manufacturing solutions, is reviewed and revamped to increase efficiency and deliver desired business outcomes.

Future of food

Nestle, together with Swiss academic and industrial partners such as ETH Zurich, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), and companies Bühler and Givaudan, announced a joint research program, Future of Food , that will help develop nutritious, tasty, sustainable, and trendy food and beverage products.

It's just another example of Nestle leveraging innovation and partnerships to move forward. Plus, it highlights Nestle’s commitment to providing healthy food while doing right by the environment.

The future is healthy, sustainable, and personalized

Nestle is actively working on providing healthier diets to people worldwide. It's even reformulating its popular products such as Kit Kat and Maggi, among others, to reduce the sugar, salt, and saturated fat in them while also transitioning its brands towards organic.

In addition to this, it is actively working towards ensuring its supply chains have zero environmental impact and reducing its carbon footprint by changing its plastic packaging.

Nestle has announced that it will phase out all packaging that’s not recyclable by 2025 and ensure the packaging it uses is eco-friendly.

Last but not least, Nestle, in its quest to stand out and scale, is emphasizing the need to please customers in every way possible. It aims to do that by delivering customers exactly what they want, how they want it, and in the taste, and shape they want it.

Meeting the needs of consumers on an individual level, according to Nestle will make all the difference. Hence, it is investing in it. Nestle acquired a start-up in UK, Tails.com, which provides tailored diets to dogs on a monthly basis based on age, breed, and weight among other factors.

Key takeaway 6: innovate, innovate, and innovate

Ascending to the top is one thing, but remaining at the top is the real challenge. Nestle’s strategy of launching incubators, experimenting with products, enhancing capabilities, and thinking ahead to create a new future highlights the importance the company places on innovation.

Nestle never hesitates to be bold and go out of its way to innovate to accelerate its growth and achieve scale. It realizes the value that can be derived from innovation and hence, leaves no stone unturned in thinking out of the box and putting its money where its mouth is.  More than anything else, this fundamental strategy has helped the company dominate and remain a customer favorite.

Nestle In The New Normal

Nestle: the multi-national company that adapts

A vital company in the challenging times of Covid-19, Nestle made many changes in its processing and manufacturing processes to continue supplying good food. As supply chain challenges intensified, Nestle focused its efforts on streamlining the supply chain end-to-end, from sourcing supplies to logistics. 

Nestle had 8.1% organic growth in the first half of its fiscal year 2022.

Nestle: the best employer

Making the health and safety of its employees a priority, Nestle implemented enhanced safety measures on and off its premises, including factories, distribution centers, labs, and offices.

Nestle responded to Covid-19 effectively and made sure its employees are protected and motivated by:

• Allowing working from home 
• Restricting travel and exposure to the virus
• Introducing the best hygiene practices
• Implementing effective social distancing measures
• Giving a special 14-day COVID-19 leave
• Offering financial support in the form of loans

Nestle: the company that gives back to the community

Nestle extended a helping hand to those in need in the crisis. It provided holistic support to medical institutions, food banks, food delivery organizations, and relief organizations in the local communities who are on the frontline. 

Not only did Nestle donate essentials such as food and bottled water but also money. Nestle joined forced with the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and donated  CHF 10 million . Plus, in order to speed up the vaccination and ensure fair distribution of vaccines, it partnered up with COVAX and donated  CHF 2 million. 

Key takeaway 7: stay resilient 

There’s no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the global markets and adversely impacted Nestle in ways more than one. However, Nestle managed to survive and thrive by continuously adapting, being proactive, and striving to do right by the people and the communities it served, as evident from its increased market share and growth during the period.

Nestle in a nutshell

Nestle products are recognized, consumed, and valued in all corners of the world. It is a company that has ingrained itself in the day-to-day life of people and continues to raise the bar higher. From innovation, people management, and a long-term strategic approach to the quality of products and services, social responsibility, and competitiveness, Nestle ticks all the boxes.

Here are the four main lessons derived from the growth of Nestle from a relatively small Swiss-based company established in 1866 to one of the most successful, admired, and profitable multinational companies in the world:

Key takeaway 1: globalize but also localize

A company as big as Nestle, which operates in almost all countries worldwide, has achieved success by localizing its offerings and catering to the needs of each individual market.

Sure, it could have made generalized global strategies and campaigns, but it took the difficult path by localizing everything from sourcing, product planning, production, marketing, and even its brand strategy.

It highlights the importance of being customer-centric regardless of who you are as a company and where you operate.

Key takeaway 2: innovate – change is an opportunity

Whether it be changing consumer demands, the evolving marketplace, or crisis situations, Nestle has never stopped innovating. Sure, it has paid the price of a few campaigns gone wrong, but one thing that it has been relentless at is continuing to strive to be a step ahead.

Nestle does it all, from committing to sustainability to coming up with new creative ways of providing more value to all stakeholders. It serves as a lesson for brands in this modern digital age. You can only survive and succeed if you innovate. Period.

Key takeaway 3: grow through acquisitions

Nestle has over 2000 brands. Yes, that’s right. Nestle has rapidly grown, gained a competitive advantage, increased its market share, achieved synergies, and enhanced efficiency in its business by acquiring companies.

It actively looks for potential acquisition opportunities and doesn’t hesitate to take risks. This showcases that if you want to grow as a company, you need to broaden your horizons and partner up with others. Foresight, strategic decisions, and impartial business sense are critical - now more than ever. 

The external growth strategy has worked wonders for Nestle by allowing it to expand into new industries and distinctive production lines - all of which have contributed immensely to its growth over the years. Simply put, if you can’t beat them, just join them, or well, in Nestle’s case, buy them.

Key takeaway 4: importance of brand & values

As a company, your values are bigger than your revenue. If you truly focus on and stick to your values, you can attract consumers and scale your company. Nestle has done just that by not only saying but becoming the “Good food, Good Life” company.

It firmly abides by its core principles of “ Unlocking the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come .”

Every decision that is made, every product that is launched, every customer that is served, is served to shape a better and healthier world. No wonder Nestle has become a global icon from a local favorite.

Nestle Case Study: How Nestle’s Marketing Strategy Helped Them Grow as a Brand-2023

How many of you can answer this?

What is one common thing among Nescafe, Caregrow, KitKat, and Maggi?

Any guesses?

Yes, they are world-renowned brands, are familiar names in every household, and are products you must have consumed in your life at one point.

Anything other than these?

Yes. All these belong to one and only Nestle.

Be it in the fresh smell of hot coffee, a short break, or a bowl of tasty noodles- we cannot deny that all of us have enjoyed the awesomeness of Nestle’s products.

The brand has come a long way, crossing so many hurdles and achieving success, and it keeps growing.

Today, nestle is a brand that everyone is familiar with and uses in their day-to-day life.

Curious to know how?

In this Nestle case study, we are discussing everything about Nestle company, the marketing mix of Nestle, nestle competitors in India, marketing sales promotion techniques of nestle, and much more.

Nestle owns more than 2000 brands, from global stars to local ones.

How did Nestle achieve this level of success?

The brand has been in the market for more than 150 years, but many companies got this opportunity but failed. Nestle survived.

What is the secret of Nestle’s success?

This Nestle case study shows you a glimpse of nestle strategy and what digital marketing and social media strategies they followed that led to achieving this success.

So, let’s start by understanding a bit more about Nestle as a company.

Nestle had come a long way from when it entered the market by selling infant food in the 1860s with a motto to reduce child mortality rates.

Gradually, it became a renowned name in the wellness, healthy food, and pet care industry with its evergreen tagline, “Good Food, Good Life.”

Now, you must be thinking that how did Nestle reach this position? How can a company build a legacy which is so powerful that it has stood still since its birth?

The answer to this may lie in Nestle’s digital marketing and functional strategy.

Nestle Case study: Introduction of Nestle company

Nestle is a world-renowned manufacturer of packaged foods and beverages. It is the world’s largest food manufacturer operating in more than 186 countries and with over 2000 product brands.

The brand came to India in 1956. Since that time, from selling its first milk product in the 1960s to selling a wide variety of Nestle products in India, Nestle has grown exponentially in India.

With such exponential growth, Nestle’s umbrella keeps widening day by day. They are not only the largest food and beverage company in the world but also one of the best companies that have effortlessly collaborated with the online world and achieved immense success.

Gradually, Nestle India started making its presence felt in the FMCG sector, and now the brand enjoys a good market share in the food and beverage industry.

Being the most extensive food and beverage brand in terms of revenue, the pricing strategy of Nestle company, along with its targeting and positioning system, has played a vital role in reaching the position where it is currently.

Let us find out how it has served the Indian market with its products and services.

Nestle offers products in breakfast cereals, beverages, dairy, chocolates, nutritious foods like vending, and food services.

Popular food products like Kit Kat, Maggi, Milkmaid, Polo, and Nescafe come under Nestle’s products sold in India.

For more than 150 years, this iconic brand has been applying its expertise in Health, Nutrition, and Wellness to help its customers, pets, and families live a healthier and happier life.

However, they believe what is good today might not be suitable for tomorrow.

So, they keep exploring and focusing on pushing the boundaries to find more to experiment with foods, nutrition, and beverages.

Nestle unlocks the power of food to improve the quality of life for everyone, not just today but for generations to come.

The brand focuses on bringing more pleasure and enjoyment to the customers, how they can enable better health, and how they can make the best nutrition affordable to everyone.

Not just these, but the brand tries new ways to protect and improve natural resources.

History & Founder

Nestle was founded in 1905 by the union of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, set up in 1866 by brothers Charles and George Page and Farine Lactee Henri Nestle, founded by Henri Nestle in 1866.

Nestle originated in 1860 when two separate Swiss enterprises later created Nestle.

In the following decades, the two rival companies grew their businesses throughout the United States and Europe.

In 1866, George Page and Charles Page, brothers from Lee County, Illinois, USA, formed the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company in Cham, Switzerland. The company’s British operation started in 1873 at Chippenham, Wiltshire.

It was during the First World War when the organization grew significantly, and again during the Second World War, the company increased its offerings beyond its initial condensed milk and infant food products.

Nestle Case Study : Facts & Figures

Here are a few interesting numbers about Nestle that sets it apart from others.

• Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company.
• The brand has 276000 employees
• Nestle has acquired 30 companies

Nestle Case Study: Nestle competitors in India

Nestle has many major customer brands like Carnation, Kit Kat, Nestle-water, and Stouffers, among others.

Thirty of its brands netted more than $1 billion in earnings in the year 2010, which makes the company a vital force in the worldwide food and beverage industry.

With around 42 % of its sales being in North America, Nestle is one of the most geographically distinct companies in the food and beverage industry. It places it in a position that helps it edge over its competitors.

Its brands are well established in a considerable market share in leading economies like U.S. and Europe.

Danone and Unilever are important competitors for Nestle. These two are giants in the food and beverage industry, like Nestle.

In 2010, Unilever posted around 26% growth in yearly profits because of its accelerated sales in the food and beverage industry, especially ice cream, frozen food, tea-based beverages, and cooking products.

On the other hand, Danone stated around a 38 percent increase because of its improved share prices. In addition, a rise in its yogurt sales also enhanced the growth in earnings.

However, nestle handles positioned itself in the market by adopting a new accounting method which aided a decline in its cost of sales.

The company could also incorporate discounts, allowances, and promotions for its retailers through sales profits rather than the marketing line.

Though its sale was lesser for a year, nestle pricing strategy helped them match its peers, which in turn, made it a famous manufacturer even though the competition was so high.

Being the world’s most popular food manufacturer, nestle has intense competition with its rival company, Unilever.

Unilever has around 1,49,000 employees and operates in 160 countries, with its headquarters in London for food, home, and personal care.

The company is trying hard to beat Nestle in terms of the quality of their product, which has made Unilever the second company in the Western European ready meals market with a market share of around 8.6%, i.e., 0.3 points behind the iconic Nestle.

Nestle’s Target Audience and Products for Each Segment

The unique thing about Nestle is that it offers a wide range of products that covers audiences of different ages, from 2-year-old to working professionals.

Here’s a breakdown of Nestle’s Target Audience and the products meant for them.

• Target Audience
• Working Professionals
• General Audiences
• Koko Krunch, Caregrow, Lactogrow
• Sunrise, Nescafe
• Maggi, KitKat, Milkmaid

Everyone, especially coffee lovers, will know how Nescafe is a big hit among working professionals.

Nestle guarantees that Nescafe is the only coffee that would keep professionals fresh throughout the day, and who does not want to feel fresh?

Regarding kids, parents blindly trust the product “Caregrow” by Nestle. The product consists of cereals to keep young kids healthy.

However, nestle has several other products like KitKat, Milkmaid, and Maggi for the general audience.

It is how Nestle has designed something for everyone in India. In the coming section, we will dig into how Nestle has advertised itself and its products in the digital world.

Nestle’s Digital Marketing Strategies

By now, you must have understood that Nestle is the world’s largest food and beverage company in terms of revenue. So, it might be basic information for many of you.

But what if we say Nestle always tries to be one step ahead regarding marketing strategies and policies?

It has always focused on the most updated marketing ways no matter, whether it is digital marketing strategies or offline strategies.

Nestle’s marketing strategies will teach you to build marketing strategies that work and get a positive response from customers.

Let us start with Nestle’s Digital Marketing Strategies that must follow if they want to succeed as a brand.

Partner with influential celebrities

Nescafe, a product of Nestle, collaborates with celebrities to put forward their message and create more noise around their brand.

A few years ago, they announced Bollywood actress Disha Patani as their brand ambassador.

Recently, they launched a campaign with famous content creators called “Karne Se Hi Hona Hai,” which means “Only doing will make it happen.”

They created this campaign during the Covid Pandemic to inspire people and encourage them to keep working hard towards their dreams no matter their situation.

Through this campaign, they targeted the youth of India and asked them to dream, act, and achieve success.

• Run campaigns that foster connections and bring customers together

An ordinary 37-year-old guy named Arnaud, with 1,2000 Facebook friends, was challenged by the company to catch up with his friends over a cup of coffee.

So, he filmed these meetings and turned them into a 42-minute online video documentary. During the sessions, Arnaud enjoyed a cup of Nescafe with his pals.

The documentary was a big hit on social media. It got almost 8 million views on Facebook, around 63,050 likes, 4,850 comments, and 5,550 shares. 

The Facebook Page of Nescafe saw an increase in the number of fans by 400%.

Fans were excited by the documentary and wanted to know how to turn their online friendships into real-life relationships.

As a reaction, it created the “le Defi Nescafe,” a Facebook campaign to allow winners to reinvent the same experience.

More than 26,000 people applied, around 19,000 liked it, and nearly 1,725 shared.

Instantly, Nescafe became an online sensation by marketing itself as an item that stimulates connections and friendships.

2. Localization of Products

Localization is adapting an organization’s products to the local market. Nestle has gone huge on localization in various markets where it now manages.

For example, consider Japan, where the organization’s primary foray was through coffee-flavored chocolates.

Japan is traditionally a tea-drinking country, and the company established these candies so that kids could also get to know the taste of coffee.

Later, it introduced Nescafe and KitKat, and what happened is history.

3. Content Marketing

Nestle has created many video content on every brand’s YouTube channels. The content ranges from informative “how-to” videos to cooking tips to better insights on using the right products.

For example, the “Meri Maggi” has more than 530 videos with more than 5,71,000 subscribers.

Though video content is an expanding channel in Nestle’s marketing strategy, it has recognized other avenues to share relevant information with its consumers.

4. Out-of-Home Advertising

Nestle’s brands, including Maggi, Milo, KitKat, and Nescafe, use different ways to grab customers’ attention.

Whether benches, hoardings, or banners, Nestle’s brands have made it to the limelight for their contextuality and creativity.

What are the advantages of using OOH ads? First, most people correctly receive these ads. They are worth sharing.

People can take photos online, send them to their friends or relatives, and even marketers discuss them.

In addition, with the help of OTT, they can reach many people at a low cost.

Also, Nestle’s marketing strategies are exceptional and generate some customers.

5. Co-branding

Have you ever heard about Android KitKat?

A few years back, Google and Nestle united and invented an Android KitKat operating system.

Nestle was facing a new scandal with their pet product and wanted to capitalize on the image of Google. This movie created a buzz and surpassed the crisis.

Lately, nestle signed another deal with Starbucks to kill two different birds at a time.

First, the brand entered the new product development stage-i.e., roasted beans- and improved its brand by discovering a wide range of Starbucks Nespresso Capsules.

Did you understand how co-branding helped Nestle?

Co-branding is great for stepping into a new market and widening your reach. This marketing benefits startup that wants to create brand awareness or launch a new item.

It would help if you found companies that complement your products and collaborated with them to run co-branding promotional ads.

Nestle – Challenges Faced

Undoubtedly, Maggi was the most popular instant noodles brand in India. The brand had established its presence in India’s food industry, but suddenly it became controversial.

State food regulators stated that Maggi contains Monosodium Glutamate and lead above the recommended limits, which were dangerous, especially for kids.  

When nestle encountered lab results, it said that they had a world-class quality control procedure and that their products were safe for consumption.

Ultimately, the National Food Regulator FSSAI ordered to ban on the selling of Maggi, including product recall.

Consequently, various state governments imposed a temporary ban on selling Maggi noodles in a few states. As a result, the future of the company suddenly started looking dark.

Another acquisition of Nestle by the critics was they accused that the brand discouraged mothers from breastfeeding.

They showed that their baby formula is much healthier than breastfeeding, although they didn’t have any proof to support this.

It resulted in a boycott of Maggi for the first time after its launch in 1977 in the United States and slowly spread to Europe.

Several reports have acknowledged the widespread use of child labor in Cocoa production, slavery, and child trafficking, throughout the Western African plantations on which Nestle and other important chocolate companies depend.

As per the 2010 documentary, The Dark Side of Chocolate, the kids working are usually 12 to 15 years old. Nestle faced criticism from The Fair Labour Association for not properly checking.

Different Campaigns by Nestle 

• Ask Nestle Campaign

In this campaign, Nestle India launched a digital tool, NINA, which stands for Nestle India Nutrition Assistant on AskNestle, which used Artificial Intelligence to offer real-time nutritional information on the foods we consume.

In addition, it assisted Indian parents in designing a nutritious customized meal plan for their kids below 12.

This campaign by Nestle was India’s first artificially intelligent assistant that permits one to find nutritional information for kids.

So, this is how Nestle India set its foot on digital fronts and started driving organic traffic and improved overall engagement compared to competitors.

2. #WeMissYouToo Maggi Campaign

Maggi suffered a massive loss after it got banned as Maggi contained a high amount of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and lead content- more than what is allowed.

It was hard for them to hope for a comeback, but Maggi did their best and experienced huge sales. As a result, the price and volume of Maggi are now much more significant than before.

How did they do so?

They did so through their different marketing campaigns. One among them was the #WeMissYouToo campaign.

In addition, they published a few videos showing how people are kissing Maggi and how their life was better with Maggi.

Videos showed how Maggi has been a staple food for many and how its absence had affected their lives. 

In campaigns, characters addressed Maggi as “yaar” or a “close friend” who is always there for them when in need. 

Therefore, they considered Maggi’s return as a huge celebration that brought people’s life to normalcy.

3. A Campaign for kids: Poora Poshan Poori Tasalli

Nestle Caregrow started this campaign in 2019. The campaign targeted couples living in the cities who had kids between the age of 2 to 5 years.

India is where parents are very concerned about their child’s health and nutrition right from birth. Nestle kept this in mind and decided to portray this care through its campaign. 

The brand portrayed how Indian mothers worry about their kids’ proper nourishment.

The brand came up with a new product, Caregrow, which controls a child’s hunger and offers all the essential nutrients for enhancing the child’s immunity and overall development.

4. Celebrate the Breakers- KitKat campaign

Across the world, people consume around 12 billion KitKat chocolates every year.

It is one of Nestle’s most famous chocolate products available in India. The company also released “KitKat Senses, a premium “slow-whipped” chocolate.

Nestle sought to influence Instagram to support its “Celebrate the Breakers” campaign by raising awareness and message association among enthusiastic 15- to 34-year-old Instagram followers.

Nestle came up with a new worldwide advertising campaign that takes a different approach altogether with a famous slogan, “Enjoy a break, enjoy a KitKat.”

“Celebrate the Breakers” was a new idea that identified the different forms of breaks that generally “breakers” take.

The animated movies showed KitKat chocolates are the best for enjoying a break in life.

Instagram was the appropriate platform for Nestle to showcase this idea graphically.

The brand posted a series of pictures with the hashtag “# mybreak over seven weeks ,” showing how people enjoy different types of breaks, like sleeping at their workplace, enjoying a party, or listening to their favorite music.

The images of KitKat match efficiently with its customers, as Instagram is a place where people share their daily moments and experiences.

Future Plans of Nestle

Nestle planned to invest Rs. 5,000 crores in India in the coming 3 ½ years, as per Mark Schneider, the company’s CEO.

The FMCG company, which has nearly 2,000 brands across the globe, believes that this initiative will help Nestle to improve its core business in India and enjoy new growth opportunities.

It marks the brand’s most significant investment in India since the year it started manufacturing.

Nestle is renowned in food, nutrition, health, and wellness.

Its competitive strategies mainly focus on overseas direct investment in ready-to-eat, dairy, and other food businesses.

Though there is rising competition, Nestle has remained on top for a long.

It maintains its dominance by balancing sales between high-risk and low-risk nations.

Over the years, Nestle has proven itself as a leader in the food and beverage industry with product innovation and innovative marketing strategies.

It creates campaigns that are memorable, relatable, and share-worthy.

As it is moving toward developing a solid presence in the future, digital marketing will play an essential role in the future growth of Nestle.

As Nestle continues to follow its values, mission, vision, and purpose, it will continue to grow. 

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HUMAN RESOURSES STRATAGIES IN FOOD CAMPANIES – A CASE STUDY OF NESTLE

HR management is a highly critical function in every organization. Its effectiveness depends on the different strategies adopted by a company in various areas such as recruitment, selection, training, motivation, compensation, welfare measures, promotion, transfer, retrenchment and dismissal. Nestle is a very large multinational corporation. It has around 3,39,000 employees. Managing such a big number of people is really a challenge. Considering this challenge, the study is conducted to understand the implications involved in its HR management.

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The aim of this study is to discuss “human resource” focus in total quality management awards (TQM Awards). TQM Awards are Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, European Quality Award (EFQM), Deming Prize of Japan, and ISO9000 Series. The Baldrige emphasizes performance excellence. Deming Prize aims to achieve organizational quality. ISO9000 is to set up quality management system in organizations, and EFQM targets to obtain business excellence for organizations. TQM Awards have human resource focus due to employee involvement and process management in TQM. Firstly, human resources implement in organizational processes such as production, supply, marketing, and after-sale. Secondly, employees participate to solve quality problems in organizations through TQM practices. This is employee involvement. Employee involvement is that employees join to decision-making process, and they participate to solve quality problems to obtain quality assurance, i.e., employee involvement is that human resources participate to TQM practices in organizations such as brainstorming, quality circle, quality function deployment, Poke-Yoke, managerial boards to improve quality; therefore, TQM awards contain “human resource” variation in prize nomination.

6th ASOS Congress International Social, Human and Administrative Sciences

In this study, SHRM is related with HR systems. Further, This study relates strategic HR with finance theory, with ROI. ROI makes HRM have impact on financial performance. HRM may affect firm performance through HR investments. Return on Investment (ROI) of HR might be organizational behaviours (OBs). Many studies prove that HRM results with OBs. HRM means investing people. Thus, ROI of HR might be organizational behaviours. Application of HR develops positive organizational behaviours on employees, such as citizenship behaviours, commitment, satisfaction, organizational justice, etc. OBs affect firm performance via human capital’s attitude and behaviours. Human capital is related with job performance, and including knowledge, skills and experience of employees. Human capitals work for critical positions in organizations. SHRM is relation between HRM and firm objectives. HRM is interested with employee performance. When it is involved with firm objectives, it is defined as SHRM. HRM is related with organizational performance, while Wright and McMahan (1992) related with firm performance. Consequently, HRM may affect organizational performance via OBs. Because practicing HRM in organization results in developing various OBs, such as organizational commitment, justice, citizenship behaviours, engagement, etc. Therefore, 3rd definition of SHRM includes HR system and ROI. For example, Huselid (1995) explores impact of ROI on financial performance of firm. Thus, ROI might be considered as a factor affecting firm’s financial performance. According to Tüzüner (2018), ROI concept may be applied for financial and nonfinacial results. Employment relations, for example, are nonfinancial indicators. How does HRM contribute to firm performance? Literature studies discusses that argument. HRM may contribute to firm performance via OBs. Because OBs increase job performance. and job performance and OBs have impact on firm performance. Outcomes of HRM are organizational behaviours. OBs develop effective job performance. Therefore measurement issue of HRM is associated with OBs and job performance.

JMRA Publication

The concept of Green Human Resource Management is founded on green movement related to Protection of Environment and save the Earth from future adversities which are in outcome of some human activities as well as natural disasters. The topic of environmental sustainability is attracting increased attention. Green human resources refer to using very employee interface to promote sustainable practices and increase employee awareness and commitments on the issue of sustainability .It involves undertaking environmental friendly HR initiatives resulting in greater efficiencies, lower costs and better employee engagement and retention which is in turn help organizations to reduce employee carbon footprints by the likes of electronic filing ,car sharing, job sharing and teleconferencing and virtual interviews, recycling, telecommuting, online training, energy efficient office spaces etc. The " Magna Carta " on Human Environment was declared in the first United Nations(International) Conference on Human Environment held in June 1972 in Stockholm declared that to defend and improve the human environment for present and future generation had become an imperative goal for mankind. In present research paper researcher has endeavored to promote the significance of Green HRM in current business and other organizations and to study the latest environmental friendly solutions to stay Green in the Human Resource Management function.

Creon Levit

Scientia Agricola

José Menten

Avaliou-se o efeito da suplementação da vitamina C (75 e 150 mg/kg) na alimentação de frangos de corte machos sob condições de estresse de calor e superlotação. As aves foram criadas sobre "cama" de cavaco de madeira nas lotações de 10 e 14 aves/m². O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial (3 níveis de vitamina C na ração e 2 lotações), com 5 repetições. Os resultados indicaram que o aumento da lotação de criação prejudicou (P<0,05) o ganho de peso das aves no período final da criação. A conversão alimentar dos 35 aos 48 dias de idade foi melhor (P <0,01) nas aves que receberam suplementação de 75 mg/kg em comparação com o controle. A suplementação de 150 mg/kg deu média de conversão alimentar melhor do que a média da testemunha, porem, as diferenças não foram significativas. A suplementação de vitamina C apresentou efeito benéfico no desempenho de frangos de corte. O benefício se mostrou particularmente importante na melhoria da...

Dalton Transactions

anna chrostowska

Božidar Bratina

In this paper fault detection and isolation schemes using an extended Luenberger observer for non-linear systems and linear fault sensitive filters are presented. The idea is to implement both approaches on the same plant, achieve on-line fault detection and show some practical issues related to on-line fault detection implementation on a real laboratory plant, where for evaluation of residuals and fault isolation an adaptive threshold together with Boolean decision logic is used. FDI methods tested in this paper were performed on a most popular case study, namely the three-tank system, which has in our case an unusual structure as the inflow to the tanks is mounted at the bottom of the tanks and contributes to additional non-linear behaviour. Online data acquisition was realized by local controller using Ethernet communication and OPC interface, and FDI schemes were performed in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The implemented fault detection schemes proved themselves well even whe...

Classiques des sciences sociales.

Creutzer Mathurin

Prace Naukowe Uniwersytetu Ekonomicznego we Wrocławiu

Bożena Horbaczewska

Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers

The acidity of the initial mixture is the key factor promoting the enrichment of chiral polymorph A in zeolite beta.

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Managing People: Functions, Principles and Evaluation in Nestle

Write an essay critically examining the HR function and its role in helping organizations achieve competitive advantage, focusing on the nature and characteristics of HRM, people management strategies, wider organizational implications, current trends in HRM, and key HRM issues and problems faced by management. Use a case study to illustrate points.

Added on   2023-06-12

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