SWITZERLAND – Nestlé, the global food and beverages company, has announced plans to bring together its two scientific discovery units, the Nestle Institute of Health Sciences and Nestle Research Center to build one organization, Nestle Research to strengthen its research and development operations.
According to the company, Nestlé Research will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland and will employ approximately 800 people.
It will consist of three major research institutes: Health Sciences, Material Sciences and Food Safety & Analytical Sciences.
The new organization will combine fundamental science at the highest level, high-end analytical platforms leveraged by all research teams, and strong prototyping capabilities to accelerate the translation of science into innovation.
The company will address wider issues through science and technology, such as non-communicable diseases, micronutrient deficiencies and sustainability.
“Nestlé’s success is built on meeting fast-changing consumer demand around the world. In this dynamic environment innovation leadership is key to winning in the marketplace,” said Nestlé CEO Mark Schneider.
“Strengthening our discovery research capabilities will give us an edge when it comes to developing the technologies for the next generation of must-have products.”
Nestle has continuously developed new products and services that offer tastier and healthier choices to consumers, which includes reducing sugar, salt and saturated fat content and increasing positive nutrients to improve the nutritional profile of its products.
An example of such an innovation is the recently launched chocolate bar Milkybar Wowsomes, which contains Nestlé’s new structured sugar which allows to reduce the sugar content in the chocolate by 30% while using only natural ingredients and no sweeteners.
This breakthrough innovation was based on the work of research teams in Switzerland.
“Pushing the boundaries in innovation and developing an understanding of the impact of good nutrition on people’s health has been at the core of Nestlé since the very beginning of the company,” said Paul Bulcke, Nestlé Chairman.
“The strengthening of our research organization will enable us to accelerate insights, discoveries and breakthrough innovations.
Switzerland’s collaborative research landscape creates the ideal environment for this.”
