Introduction

Largest food and beverage company in the world is Nestlé, a global corporation based in Switzerland. They sell a wide variety of goods, including water, coffee, and baby food. Established in 1905, they have expanded through acquisitions and currently have over 339,000 employees worldwide. Despite its success, Nestlé has come under fire for its use of child labor in its marketing campaigns and other policies.

History

1866–1900 Founding and early years

Nestlé was founded by two Swiss culinary pioneers in the 1860s. The Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk (1866) and Henri Nestlé's baby food (1867) eventually combined (1879), creating the food behemoth that exists today.

1901–1989 Mergers

Nestlé expanded quickly in the first part of the 20th century after being established through a merger in 1905.  By acquisitions, they later branched themselves into chocolate, coffee, and other food categories, taking advantage of the demand for dairy goods during the war.

1990–2011 Growth internationally

Following its establishment, Nestlé expanded quickly, acquiring well-known brands like Kit Kat and Maggi during the course of the 20th century.  They have invested in nutritional research and acquired businesses like Gerber in order to concentrate on health and wellness goods in recent years.

2012–present

Nestle has had a busy year lately! They have divested some of their less strategic businesses and made purchases in coffee, plant-based foods, and health science. Activist investors are putting pressure on them to increase their performance as they expand their investments into new areas like India.

Lobbying

The company engages with external advocacy organizations to interact with legislatures and governments worldwide. In South Australia, for example, the company uses Etched Communications.[102] In the US capital of Washington, D.C., Nestlé has considerable influence. Between 2015 and 2020, they invested an average of $1,951,667 year on lobbying.

Products

With more than 2,000 brands, Nestle is a massive food and beverage conglomerate. They are venturing into the plant-based food sector, having previously sold everything from coffee to baby food.

Sponsorships

Music and entertainment

Nestle sponsored EPCOT Center's The Land pavilion (1993-2009), Beijing Music Festival (2000-2013) and Salzburg Festival (until 2015)

Sports

Nestle is more than simply a food company—they also fund the arts! Nestle has a long history of supporting culture, ranging from repurposing Disney's EPCOT Land pavilion to supporting music festivals in Beijing (2000-2013) and Salzburg (till 2015).