A Nestlé document says the majority of the food portfolio is unhealthy

Nestlé, the world’s largest food company, has acknowledged that more than 60 percent of its major food and beverage products do not meet the “recognized definition of health” and that “some of our categories and products will never be“ healthy ”no matter how much we innovate”.

A presentation released by senior executives this year, seen by the Financial Times, says that only 37% of Nestlé’s food and beverage products earn more than 3.5 out of Australia, excluding products such as animal feed and specialty medical nutrition. according to the star health system.

This system scores five-star foods and is used by international teams in research such as the Access for Nutrition Foundation. Nestlé, the maker of KitKats, Maggi Noodles and Nescafé, said the 3.5-star threshold is a “recognized definition of health”.

Within the overall food and beverage portfolio, about 70 percent of Nestlé’s food did not meet the threshold, at the presentation, along with 96 percent of beverages (excluding pure coffee) and 99 percent of Nestlé’s pastry and ice cream portfolio.

Water and dairy products scored better, with 82% of water and 60% of dairy products meeting the limit.

“We have made significant improvements to our products. . . [but] our portfolio still does not go against external definitions of health, in a landscape where regulatory pressure and consumer demand are increasing tremendously, ”the presentation said.

The data exclude infant formula, pet food, coffee, and the health sciences division, which are foods for people with specific health conditions. This means that the data accounts for about half of Nestlé’s 92.6bn (£ 72.7bn) annual revenue.

The findings are that food producers are struggling with the global push to tackle obesity and promote healthier eating. Nestlé’s management is looking at new commitments to make about nutrition and aims to unveil the plans this year.

The group is also updating its internal nutrition standards, known as the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation, led by former CEO Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, who defined Nestlé as a “nutrition, health and wellness company”.

It may be an option for a person who knows this situation to consult these eating standards, such as leaving or replacing standards for products such as baking.

Mark Schneider, CEO, has recognize consumers want a healthier diet, but have ruled out that “processed” foods made by Nestlé and other multinationals, among others, tend to be healthier.

However, the presentation highlights the company’s products, such as the DiGiorno three-meat croissant pizza on the surface, a person who collects about 40% of the recommended sodium per day, and 48 percent of Hot Pockets pepperoni pizza.

At the presentation, another product, an orange-flavored San Pellegrino drink, achieves an “E” – according to a different scoring system, the worst mark available on Nutri-Score – more than 7.1 g of sugar per 100 ml. the health-forward mark bears an E. [rating]? ”

Separately, Nestlé’s strawberry-flavored Nesqui, sold in the US, It contains 14g of sugar In a 14g container, it is designed to be mixed with milk with small amounts of colors and flavorings. “Breakfast is perfect for getting kids ready for the day.”

Nestlé said: “We are working on a company-wide project to update a pioneering nutrition and health strategy. We are reviewing our entire portfolio during different phases of people’s lives to ensure that our products help meet their nutritional needs and support a balanced diet.

“Our efforts are based on a solid foundation of work over decades. . . For example, we have significantly reduced the sugars and sodium in our products in the last two decades, by about 14-15 percent in the last seven years alone. ”

Marion Nestle (unrelated), a visiting professor of nutrition sciences at Cornell University, said Nestlé and its rivals will fight to keep their wallets healthy.

“The job of food companies is to create money for shareholders, and to generate as much and as much money as possible. They will sell products that reach a crowded audience and are bought by as many people as possible, which is what people want to buy, and that’s junk food, ”he said.

“Nestlé is a very smart company, at least from meetings with people who work in its science[departments]. . . but they have a real problem. . . Scientists have been trying for years to figure out how to reduce the salt and sugar content without changing the flavor profile and what they are inventing, it’s hard to do. “

Some products that are seen as healthy, such as plant-based meat alternatives, are areas of high growth for food producers. Nestlé has sold some divisions that produced fewer healthy products, such as the 2019 60% stake in the Herta charcuterie arm.

Nestlé was ranked among the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturers in the 2018 index to promote better diets by the Access to Nutrition Foundation, although the foundation warned that “all businesses need to do much more”.

Nestlé said: “In recent years, we have launched thousands of products for children and families that are compatible with outdoor nutrition. We have also distributed billions of doses of micronutrients through our available and nutritious products.”

He added: “We believe that a healthy diet is about finding a balance between well-being and enjoyment. This consumes space for indulgent foods in moderation.

“The direction of our journey has not changed and it is clear: we will continue to make our wallets sweeter and healthier.”