From reimagining coffee rituals to prioritizing our pets, last year's innovations at Nestlé showed a surprising side to the future of food.
In my role at Nestlé, I'm lucky to have a front-row seat to powerhouse brand innovations across the latest in food and beverage, from Milan to Mexico and Singapore to Shanghai. As we kick off 2024 and set our sights on the future, I'm excited to share some remarkable developments from Nestlé that will soon grace your shelves.
Our innovations and renovations act as growth drivers within our company, and we're leveling-up our impact with a team mantra: fewer, bigger, bolder. Approximately 30% of our business results come from products that were launched or renovated in the last three years. We prioritize the advancement of our global brands, ensuring swift and extensive rollout through a strategy underscored by governance, speed, and scalability worldwide.
Whether it's enhancing taste, promoting well-being, or making a positive societal impact, here's a peek behind a few of this year's standout brand breakthroughs that make me proud.
Bringing KitKat fans closer to cocoa farm families
Recently, our KitKat team has accelerated innovation, expanding their seasonal and gifting offerings and entering the out-of-home market with products like pastries made with a KitKat spread. Personally, I'm a particularly big fan of the KitKat with Lotus Biscoff.
A notable achievement is KitKat Breaks for Good, the first chocolate bar made using cocoa from our Income Accelerator Program. Our teams have worked hard from farm-to-shelf on a new approach to farmer support and traceability that helps address the living income gap for cocoa farmers, combat child labor, advance good agriculture practices, and support gender equality. The program's pilot stage has aided over 10 000 families in Côte d'Ivoire and expanded to include 30 000 families in Ghana this year. Our goal is to reach the 160 000 cocoa farming families in our supply chain by 2030.
The KitKat Breaks for Good edition launched in January in 27 European countries, allowing consumers to engage in our sustainability efforts. I love what the team has accomplished with this new release because it brings together two critical Nestlé strengths: our close partnership with farmers and commitment to a just transition in our food systems, and deep connection and creativity with our consumers, making sustainability relevant and engaging.
Crafting the perfect cup of coffee, from taste profile to transformed capsules
The all-season craze for cold coffee shows no signs of slowing down, with an explosion in popularity. Nescafé, in response, continues to innovate, exploring new formats and occasions for enjoying their beloved brews. One recent standout is the Nescafé Ice Roast, a breakthrough creation tailored explicitly for consumption with cold water or milk over ice, crafted from sustainably grown 100% Robusta coffee beans. And the taste? Prepare to be impressed. The team tailored the roasting profile to achieve a lightly roasted soluble coffee with a smooth texture and cocoa notes that make it ideal for cold consumption.
Our coffee teams have also shown innovation in machine and capsule systems with an exciting move to home-compostable capsules for both Nespresso paper-based capsules and Nescafé Dolce Gusto Neo, taking a true end-to-end experience mindset.
Leveraging nutritional science for improved gut health
In November, Nestlé teams launched N3 milk with new nutritional benefits. It's made from cow's milk and maintains essential nutrients while containing prebiotic fibers, reduced lactose, and 15% fewer calories. These prebiotic fibers help promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria for microbiome benefits, and the Nestlé N3 range includes two products that are fortified with vitamins, minerals, and probiotics to support bone health, muscle growth, and strength, as well as immunity.
N3 milk launched first in China, where many people are sensitive to lactose, with a range of powdered, full cream, and skimmed options, and N3 milk will be introduced in other product categories at a later stage. This kind of innovation can make a big difference to consumers, including people with lactose intolerance and those who want to improve their gastrointestinal health. I'm proud of the team for working to continually improve the benefits we offer, channeling both scientific expertise and consumer understanding for the right personalized solutions.
Supporting healthy aging for our pets
For our canine family members, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Supplements for Joint Care offers a soft chew designed to support dogs and puppies of all breeds and sizes in promoting mobility and maintaining healthy cartilage and joints. Purina researchers worked with veterinarians for over two years to develop the solution, which includes collagen, hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and omega-3 fatty acids for comprehensive joint health. My own dog, Joy, is ten years old and benefits from the Pro Plan line - in addition to her kibble and (occasional) treats, we use Pro Plan supplements for skin and coat, with fish oil, flaxseed, and vitamin E, and for joint health.
Pro Plan, together with Felix, has showcased amazing speed and growth within our petcare offerings. But really, their impact is just the beginning - Purina's commitment to innovation and renovation, including advancements in supplements, ensures that our pets receive optimal care. As a dedicated dog owner, I'm thrilled at the work Purina teams do to leverage the latest science and truly care for our pets at all stages of life.
Collaborating to deliver beloved brands out-of-home
While you may typically find our products on a grocery shelf, we're thrilled to share exciting developments from our Nestlé Professional team, who deliver solutions out-of-home for chefs, offices, baristas, and more. One of my favorite areas where the team has expanded our offerings is for special 'Made With' products featuring our most beloved brands, like Milo, Nescafé, and Garden Gourmet. This type of partnership can benefit both us and our food service partners while helping consumers find the taste they love in more places.
Last year, working with I Love Poke in Italy, we created a new 'made with Garden Gourmet' Top Bowl for the winter season. The poke 'Piovono Polpette' was launched in November, to the delight of flexitarians like me. This attitude of partnership and co-creation spans across categories and geographies. The Nestlé Professional team also worked hand-in-hand with Luckin Coffee, the largest and fastest-growing coffee chain in China, to co-create new products in record time - another prime example of how the team works to bring extensive coffee and culinary expertise to our food service partnerships, building trust and expanding our relationship for the best consumer experience.
Across products, processes, services, and more, Nestlé's approach to innovation is a growth engine. As excited as I am about the last year of progress, I'm even more excited to look towards the future and help our teams continue to push boundaries, move fast, and scale to give our consumers the best experience.
