Nestlé News - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

Beyond Meat Cuts Costs and Exits China as Industry Responds to Market Challenges

February 27, 2025

Beyond Meat has reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial results, revealing modest revenue growth in late 2024 alongside cost reductions and improved margins. However, the company continues to operate at a loss and has announced further restructuring efforts, including job cuts and the suspension of operations in China, as it targets profitability by the end of 2026. Beyond Meat generated $76.7 million in revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024, a 4% increase from the previous year. Full-year revenue declined by nearly 5% to $326.5 million. While the company reduced its net loss from $338.1 million in 2023 to $160.3 million in 2024, it remains unprofitable. CEO Ethan Brown stated that 2024 was a “pivotal year” for the company, noting improvements in cost control …

Photo courtesy of Albrecht Wolfmeyer

Retail & E-Commerce

Why the Vegan Kitkat Failed To Convince Consumers

February 7, 2025

Nestlé has officially confirmed that the KitKat V, its plant-based version of the popular chocolate bar, has been discontinued in all markets except the UK. The vegan KitKat initially launched in the UK in 2021 before expanding to the EU in 2022. It was later reintroduced as a limited edition in Australia in 2023. Despite Nestlé’s efforts to establish a viable plant-based alternative, the product struggled to gain traction in key markets such as Germany, ultimately leading to its withdrawal. Nestlé promoted KitKat V as a more sustainable alternative, highlighting that its carbon footprint was 18% lower than the dairy-based version due to the removal of milk ingredients. The recipe also featured a higher cocoa and cocoa butter content, aiming to deliver a premium taste …

Topics:

Chocolate

Manufacturing & Technology

Nestlé Opens Plant-Based Facility in Serbia to Manufacture Garden Gourmet Products

March 8, 2024

Nestlé has officially opened a facility in Serbia to produce its plant-based Garden Gourmet products. Sited next to the company’s existing facility in Surčin, the site cost 80 million CHF (around $91.3 million) to build and has created 220 new jobs. The opening ceremony was attended by the Serbian President, Aleksandar Vučić, along with other notable politicians. The guests were given a tour of the 18,440-square-meter facility, which includes environmental initiatives such as insulation panels made from recycled Nestlé packaging and an on-site wastewater treatment plant. Nestlé has pledged to empower Serbian farmers by using locally-produced ingredients at the facility. The company has already established a partnership with a local soy protein producer, and has helped it switch to regenerative agriculture to strengthen natural ecosystems. …

Milk- and Dairy Alternatives

Nestlé Discontinues Pea-Based Milk Alternative Wunda

February 29, 2024

Nestlé has withdrawn its yellow pea-based milk alternative, Wunda, from the market. The Swiss multinational company confirmed to Dutch publication Food+Agri that Wunda is no longer available in the Netherlands, and the product has also disappeared from international sites. Additionally, the brand’s dedicated website has been taken down. Wunda launched in 2021 and was one of the first milk alternatives made from yellow peas. While the product initially did well, there were suggestions that Nestlé may have entered the market too late. It also could be suggested that some consumers may have avoided the brand due to concerns about Nestlé’s ethical controversies in favour of other brands. Last year, Nestlé withdrew Wunda from sale in the UK, along with its plant-based meat brand Garden Gourmet. …

Topics:

Pea Milk

Products & Launches

Nestlé’s Plant-Based Foie Gras Alternative, Voie Gras, Returns With a New Recipe

December 20, 2023

Nestlé has announced the re-release of Voie Gras, its plant-based alternative to foie gras, under its Garden Gourmet brand. Available to consumers in Belgium, Spain, and The Netherlands, the product previously gained popularity during its seasonal launch last year in Spain and Switzerland. Produced at Nestlé’s R&D centre in Singen, Germany, the recipe has been revamped by product developers and contains miso paste, sea salt, and a soy base, aiming to achieve the authentic texture and flavour of traditional foie gras. Marjolijn Niggebrugge, European Business Head of Plant-Based Meal Solutions at Nestlé, comments, “Garden Gourmet stands for food where taste feels good. Voie Gras is our testament to offering great-tasting seasonal options that cater to the growing demand for plant-based alternatives, balancing taste with environmental …

Topics:

Foie Gras

Products & Launches

Nestlé’s Garden Gourmet Line Expands with Plant-Based White Fish Alternatives

October 31, 2023

The world’s biggest consumer goods company, Nestlé, has unveiled a range of plant-based alternatives to white fish under its Garden Gourmet brand. These new products, which include alternatives to breaded fish fillets, nuggets, and fingers, have an authentic taste and texture that aims to resemble traditional white fish, according to the conglomerate. In Europe, the Garden Gourmet brand will roll out marine-style crispy fillets and nuggets made from wheat and pea protein. These products also come with a Nutri-Score A in countries utilizing the Nutri-Score front-of-pack labeling system. They will be made available online and in various retail locations in several European countries, including Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. According to Torsten Pohl, global head of R&D for Nestlé’s food …

Products & Launches

Nestlé Announces New Shelf-Stable Line in Chile After Registering 333 Plant-Based Patent Applications

August 31, 2023

Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, is expanding its plant-based portfolio with the launch of a range of shelf-stable plant-based meat products for the Chilean market. These new items, launched under the brand name Maggi Veg, are certified vegan and include the company’s first shelf-stable plant-based mince meat made from soy. The launch is part of Nestlé’s efforts to expand its plant-based offerings and give consumers more options for affordable alternatives to meat. The new product line bulks out the company’s plant-based portfolio, which features plant-based eggs, chocolate, and plant-based toddler milk. “We continue launching plant-based products in many regions of the world to offer people tasty, nutritious alternatives to meat that they can enjoy with family and friends,” said Torsten Pohl, Global …

Topics:

Patents

Products & Launches

The Animal-Free Innovators Disrupting the Foie Gras Industry

July 7, 2023

As Nestlé reportedly looks to launch its plant-based foie gras worldwide, we take a look at the variety of animal-free foie gras alternatives that have been introduced over the past year. Nestlé Nestlé originally conducted limited trials of its foie gras alternative in Spain and Switzerland last year. Called Voie Gras, the product was sold under the Garden Gourmet brand and contained soy, miso paste, and truffle. Now, the corporation has registered the trademark Veggie Gras internationally, suggesting that it is preparing for a global rollout. Dr. Foods In April, Japan’s Dr. Foods (owner of Next Meats) said it had developed what it claimed was the world’s first plant-based foie gras made by cultivating microorganisms. The product is set to be showcased at 28 wedding …

Topics:

Foie Gras

KitKat Plant-Based return to Australia for a limited time

Image courtesy of Nestlé

Sweets & Snacks

KitKat Plant-Based Returns to Australia Following Extraordinary Demand Online

June 14, 2023

Nestlé announces the official relaunch of a limited edition of KitKat Plant-Based in Australia — after extraordinary demand online. The famous bar will be available exclusively at Coles stores nationwide and at KitKat Chocolatory online while stocks last. Melanie Chen, Head of Marketing Confectionery at Nestlé, said, “You asked, and we delivered! KitKat Plant Based is one of our most requested products and we are so excited to be able to bring this vegan-certified treat back for everyone to enjoy for a limited time.” A break with vegan milk According to Nestlé, this vegan-certified bar offers the same indulgent taste that people love but without dairy. It combines KitKat’s crispy wafer, thinly crushed between layers of rice milk-based chocolate, made with Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa. Last September, Nestlé announced …

Topics:

Chocolate

Company News

Nestlé’s Plant-Based Brands Wunda, Garden Gourmet and Mezeast to Stop Retailing in UK Supermarkets

March 20, 2023March 17, 2023

Nestlé has announced it will no longer sell its plant-based brands Wunda, Garden Gourmet, and Mezeast in the UK due to poor sales and current market conditions, reports The Grocer. UK supermarkets will begin to phase out the products during the second quarter of this year. Garden Gourmet products will continue to be sold for food service through Nestlé Professional. Competitive market conditions and rising production costs, exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, are the primary factors in withdrawing the products from the UK and Irish markets, Nestlé UK & Ireland Food MD Honza Dusanek told The Grocer. Nestlé is not leaving the plant-based category and has plans to invest in and leverage brands such as Mindful Chef and Simply Cook, which offer extensive vegan and …

©Perfect Day

Products & Launches

Nestle Trials ‘Cowabunga’ Animal-Free Beverages Made with Perfect Day Whey

December 19, 2022

Alt-dairy startup Perfect Day announces that Nestle has begun testing its first animal-free milk product, Cowabunga, in select Safeway stores in San Francisco. Made with Perfect Day’s fermented whey protein, Cowabunga Animal-Free Dairy Beverages is the first product collaboration between the two companies. Available in Original and Chocolate flavors, each 15 oz serving of Cowabunga contains 14 grams of fat and 250 calories, and is fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. Along with Perfect Day’s animal-free whey protein, the drinks contain oat concentrate and high oleic sunflower oil. Cowbunga, which appears to be a chilled product, is currently being trialed at six Safeway stores in the San Francisco Bay Area. Latest liquid milk Perfect Day and Nestle first revealed a joint collaboration in September, when …

Topics:

whey protein

©Nestle

Food & Beverage

Nestlé to Launch Plant-Based Toll House Chocolate Morsels in 2023

December 5, 2022

Nestlé USA announces it is planning to debut a new plant-based version of its Toll House chocolate morsels. According to the conglomerate, which released a line of allergy-friendly, dairy-free chocolate morsels in 2018, the upcoming product will reportedly be newly positioned with more innovative ingredients, says Axios. “Nestlé Toll House plant-based morsels will be a brand-new product within the Toll House portfolio,” Nestlé said in a statement. “As we continue to look to innovate in the plant-based category, baking is an area we’re excited to explore.” Nestlé says the new plant-based chocolate morsels might potentially debut in stores in early 2023. “Plant-based, especially for those that are trying to avoid dairy, can be one of those places where you feel like you have to compromise,” …

Topics:

Chocolate

Egg Alternatives

Nestlé Launches Plant-Based Egg Product in Latin America

December 4, 2022November 28, 2022

Following last week’s news of the F&B conglomerate’s vegan foie gras product for Spanish and Swiss retail, Nestlé announces it has developed a plant-based powdered egg mix which is being tested under the Malher brand in Central America, with plans to expand to further markets within Latin America. The egg product is soy based, suitable for scrambled eggs and omelettes, and according to Nestle offers a reduced amount of saturated fat and cholesterol but with the same protein at an affordable price. Nestle launched a vegan egg alternative under the Garden Gourmet brand last summer, called vEGGie, along with a plant-based shrimp called Vrimp. It states that “R&D teams are also exploring novel solutions for affordable, time-stable protein blends that can be used as meat …

vegan foie gras product called voie gras made by gourmet garden

Products & Launches

Garden Gourmet Launches Vegan Foie Gras in Swiss and Spanish Supermarkets

November 25, 2022November 25, 2022

Garden Gourmet, Nestle’s plant-based brand, recently announced the launch of a limited edition of Voie Gras, the brand’s vegan alternative to foie gras, in Swiss and Spanish supermarkets. Voie Gras, which simulates the taste, texture, and aroma of the traditional duck liver pâté, will be the first vegan-certified alternative to reach large retail distribution in both countries, said Garden Gourmet in a statement. Foie gras consumption has fallen Traditionally, foie gras producers force-feed ducks to make their livers fatty for the rich and greasy spread. This routine is widely considered one of the cruellest practices in the farming industry. According to Animal Equality UK, foie gras production is banned in many countries, including Switzerland, the UK, the Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, Poland, Germany, and Turkey. …

Topics:

Certification

Foie Gras

©Nestle

Company News

Nestle Partners with Perfect Day to Trial Animal-Free Dairy in US

September 20, 2022September 12, 2022

Nestle, the world’s largest publicly held food company, announces it is partnering with fermentation startup Perfect Day to explore the development of products made with animal-free dairy protein. The company will pilot its first product, an unnamed milk-like beverage, later this year at select stores, says Nestle. Created by Nestle’s R&D teams in Switzerland, the beverage contains Perfect Day’s animal-free protein and is identical to the whey protein found in cow’s milk. It also offers the same nutritional and functionality benefits of conventional dairy while being suitable for vegans and lactose-free. The product will be piloted through its newly established US-based R+D Accelerator, which aims to bring highly differentiated product concepts to market in just six months. A changing portfolio According to Nestle, dairy products …

Products & Launches

Coffee Mate Launches Plant-Based Creamers for First Time in 50-Year History

August 17, 2022August 17, 2022

For the first time in 50 years, Nestlé-owned brand Coffee mate is launching plant-based creamers in the flavours French Vanilla and Caramel. Coffee mate’s conventional French Vanilla creamer is the best-selling in the refrigerated aisle, and the new almond and oat-based version provides an option for those who avoid dairy. The Caramel flavour is also a customer favourite, with the plant-based version described as having a rich, buttery taste that is ideal for the holiday season. According to Coffee mate, plant-based creamers now account for 15% of the category. Though the brand launched non-dairy options in the US in 2017 as part of its Natural Bliss line, the new launches mark the first time plant-based creamers have been sold under the Coffee mate brand. Non-dairy …

Topics:

Coffee

Creamer

Company News

La Vie Hires Matthias Neuner, the Man Behind Nestlé’s Garden Gourmet, as COO

August 11, 2022

La Vie, the French startup leading the way with plant-based alternatives to traditional pork products (and political campaigning), has appointed Matthias Neuner, who worked for more than 20 years at Nestlé, as its new COO. “During his last assignment in Switzerland, his love for plant-based food slowly started to grow: together with his commercial colleagues, he launched Nestlé’s plant-based brand Garden Gourmet in the out-of-home channel in 2019 by building and orchestrating the value chain for this new product category,” explained La Vie. “He has successfully industrialised Nestlé’s vegan products in a very short timeframe to put them on the menu of leading fast food restaurants such as Subway in the UK, Autogrill in Italy, including the very first vegan burger at McDonald’s Germany in …

©Nomoo

Gastronomy & Food Service

Nomoo Partners with Nestle Professional to Develop Proprietary Plant-Based Burger, Chicken and Cheese

August 3, 2022

LA burger concept nomoo is partnering with Nestle Professional, the world’s largest global foodservice manufacturer, to develop a proprietary line of plant-based products. The companies’ first offering, a gluten-free, non-GMO pea protein burger, will launch in October 2022, with a plant-based chicken burger and cheese currently in the works. Created to help streamline nomoo’s operations, the new line will provide key advantages for the vegan fast food brand as it prepares to expand its franchise across the US. Expected benefits include lower food costs, less waste, extended shelf-life and more consistency. The Nestle partnership will also significantly reduce labor and boost nomoo’s status as an appealing and scalable concept for potential franchisees. “With a partner like Nestlé, renowned for its commitment to the finest ingredients, …

Topics:

Burgers

Pea Protein

Market & Trends

Alt Shrimp Making Waves as 72% of Consumers Do Not Want Their Seafood to Harm the Environment

July 14, 2022

Though research shows shrimp as the most popular seafood item in the US, consumer concerns regarding ocean pollution are changing ordering habits. Alt shrimp producers across the globe are meeting the demand for environmentally friendly seafood options, with 72% of consumers stating they do not want their seafood consumption to harm the environment, as reported by Restaurant Business Online. With alt shrimp looking like the next big segment in alt seafood, vegconomist takes a look at the biggest players in the emerging market. Aqua Cultured Foods The female-led food tech startup from Chicago has recently launched its “world’s first” whole-muscle cut alt seafood on the market. Using its novel fermentation technology, Aqua Cultured Foods has developed alt shrimp as well as calamari. Happy Ocean Foods …

Topics:

Shrimp

©SMA Nutrition

Products & Launches

Nestlé Launches Plant-Based Toddler Milk Little Steps Plantygrow in UK

June 29, 2022

Nestlé-owned SMA Nutrition is bringing a new plant-based infant nutrition drink to market in the UK. The Little Steps Plantygrow Plant-Based Growing Up Drink is nutritionally designed for toddlers aged one to three. Rolling out into Tesco and Asda, SMA claims the new drink is a versatile choice for parents looking to diversify their toddler’s diet, with no added sugars and a source of vitamins A, C, B2, B12 & Iron, as well as iodine, and Omega 3 & 6. The drink also contains Calcium and Vitamin D which are needed for normal growth and bone development in children. Nestlé in plant-based Multinational food conglomerate Nestlé has invested heavily into plant-based across its divisions, from plant-based eggs and shrimp to a new $73 million alt …

Topics:

Baby Food

infant nutrition

The vegconomist-newsletterinformation for decision-makers

The vegconomist-newsletter
information for decision-makers