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Nestle launches Vegan chocolate, targets 15 European countries

by Radarr Africa
written by Radarr Africa

Nestle SA, the Swiss food giant, is launching KitKat V, a plant-based version of one of the world’s most popular chocolate bars, from Friday with a rollout planned across 15 European countries including the UK.

Vegans with a hankering for chocolate-covered wafers can, at last, get their hands on a KitKat.

Unlike the classic KitKat, the vegan version uses a rice-based formula as a milk substitute, as first revealed by Bloomberg News. It’s one of the biggest launches of a vegan alternative of a major confectionery brand and took two years to develop.

“We have four in 10 consumers saying they are interested to move to a more plant-based diet,” said Corinne Gabler, Nestle’s head of confectionery for Europe in an interview. “It could be a significant market in the confectionery area.”

The vegan chocolate market is already currently valued at $533 million and is expected to more than double to $1.4 billion in 10 years time.

Vegan Foray

Small labels started the foray into alternatives to milk chocolate and now big brands are following. Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Spruengli AG, known for its Easter bunnies wrapped in golden foil, sells oat milk-based bars under its Hello label.

Mars has introduced vegan versions of its Bounty, Topic and Galaxy bars and Mondelez International Inc’s Cadbury released the Plant Bar last year, presented as a vegan edition of Dairy Milk.

There have been some setbacks, however, and Britain’s largest grocer Tesco Plc recently stopped stocking Mars Inc.’s vegan version of its Galaxy chocolate bars in a dispute over labeling.

New product launches can also flop, as Nestle discovered when its Milkybar Wowsomes, with 30% less sugar, was pulled from the shelves following weak demand.

Nestle has high hopes for KitKat V, however, and is starting with 300 tons with room to produce more, said Gabler. This compares to tens of thousands of tons annually for KitKat mainstream products in Europe. Although developed in York, England — the heart of Nestle’s chocolate innovation hub – mainstream production will take place in Hamburg, Germany, where there’s greater capacity.

Retail pricing

In less welcome news during the worst cost-of-living crisis in decades, KitKat V is likely to cost more than the regular version. This is because it’s more expensive to produce, due to pricier ingredients and the need for stringent measures to ensure there are no traces of dairy on production lines, Nestle said.

During Nestle’s trial last year, KitKat V was sold at around 90 pence ($1.06) in some shops, compared with 60 pence or 70 pence for the non-vegan version, according to Gabler. The company is looking at efficiencies to make the gap as small as possible, she said.

Nestle sampled many non-dairy alternatives including oats, soy and almond before settling on its rice-based formula for the right creamy texture that’s familiar to fans of the non-vegan version, according to Louise Barrett, head of the Nestle Confectionery Product Technology Center in York.

“It’s super challenging,” said Barrett. “Our R&D experts have worked to make it as close as possible.”

Source: Business Tech

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AfricaNestleNigeriaWestern Africa

Nestlé Nigeria empowers more rural women

by Radarr Africa
written by Radarr Africa

Nestlé Nigeria Plc has inducted additional 50 beneficiaries into its women empowerment initiative with the launch of the fourth phase of the Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project in Port Harcourt.

An additional 50 beneficiaries from the South-South region of the country, selected from the company’s value chain, were inducted into the programme at a ceremony that included several training sessions.

The Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project helps rural women in Nigeria to build financial security and improve their standard of living. The beneficiaries comprising female retailers in Nestlé’s value chain, will receive grants valued at 300 per cent of their monthly sales in form of Nestlé’s products. They will also participate in training and mentorship programs which will enable them scale up their businesses, thereby increasing their household incomes.

At the training and induction session in Port Harcourt, Commercial Manager, Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Mr. Khaled Ramadan said the company was happy to fulfil its promise of expanding Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project to reach more women in other parts of Nigeria.

“We are pleased with the progress made so far by the 150 currently benefiting from the project. The beneficiaries who currently enjoy the training and mentorship provided by Nestlé and her implementation partners – FDConsults, are reporting faster turnover and increased revenue as well as stronger visibility of their outlets within their locations. We are therefore confident that these additional 50 selected retailers in South South, will also reap the full benefits of the support we are providing through training, mentorship and grants,” Ramadan said

ALSO READ: Dangote Cement: Shareholders approve 25% dividend increase

In his remarks at the induction and training for the new beneficiaries, Head, Partnerships & Training, FDConsults, Mr. Phranklin Audu, said, the Nestlé Empowering Rural Women project was such an amazing initiative as shown by the progress and growth recorded by the women in the several states where the project had been ongoing.

“We are talking about visible growth. Grade-C retailers are moving up the distribution ladder and more importantly these women are doing more sales turnovers thereby earning higher incomes for themselves. We must commend the visioners of this project and the entire project team for staying true to cause” Audu said.

“I feel so happy about this opportunity. I still cannot believe that this is true, because it is just like a dream. I want to say a big thank you to Nestlé” one of the beneficiaries Mrs. Joyce Nwaiwo said; expressing her gratitude to Nestlé.

The Nestlé Empowering Rural Women in Nigeria Project is designed to help rural women retailers scale up their businesses and sustain the new level of up to three times the size of their existing businesses. It is one of the Creating Shared Value initiatives that Nestlé deploys to help build thriving communities by improving livelihoods.

The training and mentorship elements of the project are provided by FDConsults who has a track record of helping rural dwellers access information and skills to improve their standard of living. Each beneficiary retailer is linked to a mentor for one-on-one guidance and consistent support over three months to ensure their success.

The project started in August 2021, in North Central Nigeria, with the induction of the first 50 women beneficiaries into the project from the suburbs of Abuja. In November of last year, the project moved to the South West and added an additional 50 beneficiaries, selected from the axis of Oshogbo, Ede and Ilesha in Osun State. In February of this year, the South East benefited with 50 inductees from the Nsukka and Obolo-Afo axis of Enugu State.

With the additional 50 recently inducted into the project in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, 200 women have so far been reached under the programme. The programme aims to reach 300 women across the country before the end of 2022.

Source: The Nation

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The Supreme Court sided with food giants Nestle and Cargill last Thursday and threw out a lawsuit that claimed they knowingly bought cocoa beans from farms in Africa that used child slave labor. The justices ruled 8-1 that an appeals court improperly let the lawsuit against the food companies go forward. The companies had been sued by a group of six adult citizens of Mali who claimed they were taken from their country as children and forced to work on cocoa farms in neighboring Ivory Coast. “Although respondents’ injuries occurred entirely overseas, the Ninth Circuit held that respondents could sue in federal court because the defendant corporations allegedly made ‘major operational decisions’ in the United States. The Ninth Circuit erred by allowing this suit to proceed,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a majority opinion for the court. The case had been twice dismissed at an early stage before being revived by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. When the case was argued in December, then-President Donald Trump’s administration backed Nestle and Cargill. The Malian citizens had argued that Minneapolis-based Cargill and the American arm of Switzerland-based Nestle “aided and abetted” their slavery as children by, among other things, buying cocoa beans from farms that used child labor. The group sued seeking to bring a class action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and who they say are thousands of other former child slaves. Nestle and Cargill have maintained throughout the case that they have done nothing wrong and that they have taken steps to combat child slavery. In statements following the ruling both Nestle and Cargill repeated that they remain committed to working to combat child labor in the cocoa industry. The case involves a law enacted by the very first Congress in 1789, the Alien Tort Statute, which permits foreign citizens to sue in U.S. courts for human rights abuses. But Thomas said this case wasn’t properly in U.S. courts. Attorney Paul Hoffman, who argued the case for the Malian citizens at the high court, said in a statement that he was “disappointed that the Court has delayed our clients’ long quest for justice.” But he said it was not the end of the case. He said intends to ask a lower court to be allowed to amend the group’s lawsuit and allege that Cargill and Nestle “controlled the system of forced labor from the United States.” The high court in recent years has limited the use of the Alien Tort Statute. In 2018, the court ruled that foreign businesses cannot be sued under the law. In that case, the court rejected an attempt by Israeli victims of attacks in the West Bank and Gaza to use U.S. courts to sue Jordan-based Arab Bank, which they said helped finance the attacks. The case is Nestle USA v. Doe I, 19-416 and Cargill Inc. v. Doe I, 19-453.
Manufacturing & Consumer GoodsNestlePress Releases

Supreme Court Backs Nestle, Cargill in Child Slavery Suit

by Radarr Africa
written by Radarr Africa

The Supreme Court sided with food giants Nestle and Cargill last Thursday and threw out a lawsuit that claimed they knowingly bought cocoa beans from farms in Africa that used child slave labor.

The justices ruled 8-1 that an appeals court improperly let the lawsuit against the food companies go forward. The companies had been sued by a group of six adult citizens of Mali who claimed they were taken from their country as children and forced to work on cocoa farms in the neighbouring Ivory Coast.

“Although respondents’ injuries occurred entirely overseas, the Ninth Circuit held that respondents could sue in federal court because the defendant corporations allegedly made ‘major operational decisions’ in the United States. The Ninth Circuit erred by allowing this suit to proceed,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a majority opinion for the court.

The case had been twice dismissed at an early stage before being revived by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. When the case was argued in December, then-President Donald Trump’s administration backed Nestle and Cargill.

The Malian citizens had argued that Minneapolis-based Cargill and the American arm of Switzerland-based Nestle “aided and abetted” their slavery as children by, among other things, buying cocoa beans from farms that used child labor. The group sued seeking to bring a class action lawsuit on behalf of themselves and who they say are thousands of other former child slaves.

Nestle and Cargill have maintained throughout the case that they have done nothing wrong and that they have taken steps to combat child slavery. In statements following the ruling both Nestle and Cargill repeated that they remain committed to working to combat child labor in the cocoa industry. The case involves a law enacted by the very first Congress in 1789, the Alien Tort Statute, which permits foreign citizens to sue in U.S. courts for human rights abuses. But Thomas said this case wasn’t properly in U.S. courts.

Attorney Paul Hoffman, who argued the case for the Malian citizens at the high court, said in a statement that he was “disappointed that the Court has delayed our clients’ long quest for justice.” But he said it was not the end of the case. He said intends to ask a lower court to be allowed to amend the group’s lawsuit and allege that Cargill and Nestle “controlled the system of forced labor from the United States.”

The high court in recent years has limited the use of the Alien Tort Statute. In 2018, the court ruled that foreign businesses cannot be sued under the law. In that case, the court rejected an attempt by Israeli victims of attacks in the West Bank and Gaza to use U.S. courts to sue Jordan-based Arab Bank, which they said helped finance the attacks.

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Nestle, MTN, Others Win Big At NECA Employers’ Excellence Awards
NestleSpotlightWestern Africa

Nestle, MTN, Others Win Big At NECA Employers’ Excellence Awards

by Radarr Africa
written by Radarr Africa

Nestle Nigeria and MTN Nigeria are among 25 companies that emerged winners at the NECA Employers’ Excellence Awards on Wednesday night.

According to NAN, Nestle Nigeria won in the Food, Beverages, and Drinks Category, while MTN Nigeria won in the Telecommunication and GSM category.

Dangote Fertiliser/Projects and TGI Group won the Chemical/Allied Products Award and Agro/Allied Services Award, respectively, at the event held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Other recipients included Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company which was honored for the Prevention and Elimination of Child Labour in the country. The construction company was presented the award by the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo.

Organizers of the NECA Employers’ Excellence Awards disclosed that the award is geared toward promoting and encouraging best practices in corporate performance, people management, and industrial relations practices among employers in Nigeria.

In his remarks, the President of NECA, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi, said the award was to reward and celebrate the doggedness and resilience of organized business in Nigeria.

Adeniyi said: “Nigerian enterprises are arguably the most dogged and resilient in the world despite the myriads of challenges besetting the operating environment.

“While some have buckled under the excruciating local and global operating pressure of unfavorable circumstances; and others relocated in the quest for survival, most organizations have continued to trudge along, amidst the prevailing turbulence.

“In doing this, Nigerian enterprises have demonstrated social responsibility and fruitful partnership with government.

“This they did through the provision of employment opportunities for teeming youths and payment of taxes and levies to the government at all levels for developmental purpose.”

Also, the Director-General of NECA, Dr Timothy Olawale, said the award took into account the performances of the employers for the year 2020, hence, the 2020 Annual Excellence Award.

Olawale said the process leading to the selection of winners might not be perfect, but was credible, rigorous and fool-proof.

“The process had a three-step control that seeks to ensure fairness to all organizations and remove influence from any quarter.

“While we noted the challenges faced by some organizations which may have prevented them from fully completing the process, those challenges have been taken as feedback to improve subsequent awards processes and also make it more open for all organizations.

“It is important to state that while winning is important to us, it is more important to celebrate the doggedness and resilience of our businesses in the face of global and local challenges.

“There is no better time to celebrate than now, having surmounted to some extent, the challenges posed by COVID-19; while we are not yet in Eldorado, we are definitely not hopeless, ” Olawale said.

Source: Brandspurng

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Nestle Nigeria plc to train journalist in Lagos on nutrition and climate
AfricaManufacturing & Consumer GoodsNestleWestern Africa

Nestle Nigeria plc to train journalist in Lagos on nutrition and climate

by Radarr Africa
written by Radarr Africa

Nestle an FMCG company that specialises in food and drink processing has reaffirmed its commitment to training Journalists in Lagos, especially those on the Nutrition, Climate and Environment beats.

The company made this announcement when executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists( NUJ), Lagos State Council, paid a courtesy visit to its corporate headquarters in Lagos, on Tuesday.

Mr Bola Audu, Corporate Communications Specialist, commended the NUJ council for regularly projecting the company in a positive light.

“On behalf of Nestle, we thank you for all the support received in the past. I am happy meeting the umbrella body of all beat journalists in the state, which is the hierarchy of NUJ Lagos State Council ” Audu said.

Mfon Etuk, Corporate Communications Officer, added that “creating shared value is key to Nestle and as such described the training as an avenue for Nestle to extend its value not only for its shareholders but to the communities and those around them,” Etuk said.

She added that, the company has impacted lives in several ways one of such is providing nutrition education for children and Nestle’s Youth Empowerment Programme and Community Scholarship Scheme where many Africans benefited from the initiative.

The NUJ chairman also requested support for the ongoing remodelling of the union’s secretariat and the sponsorship of its Media Games, scheduled in a few months.

He pledged the commitment of the union to tackle fake news in Lagos State, vowing to support Nestle whenever the need arose.

“I can assure Nestle Nigeria Plc. of wide publicity and I look forward to a more mutually beneficial relationship between the Union and the company,” Ajayi said.

He also commended Nestle Nigeria Plc for its sponsorship of the Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME), as well as promoting Nutrition Reporting and training partnership with the Lagos Business School.

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Nestle South Africa says Nescafe Ricoffy beans now 100 per cent responsibly sourced
AgricultureManufacturing & Consumer GoodsNestleSouthern AfricaSpotlight

Nestle South Africa says Nescafe Ricoffy beans now 100 per cent responsibly sourced

by Blessing Ubani
written by Blessing Ubani

South Africa’s most loved instant chicory and coffee extract, Nescafe Ricoffy, has announced that it now uses coffee beans that are 100% responsibly sourced.

Nestlé is committed to implementing responsible sourcing practices and continuously improving its coffee supply chain. This commitment is brought to life by understanding that the heart of good food is the quality of the ingredients, the people who produce them and the soils and ecosystems in which they are grown. Protecting growers and their environments ensures the long-term success of the business.

“Nescafe Ricoffy is South Africa’s most memorable instant chicory and coffee extract brand. We are extremely proud that Nestlé knows where our ingredients come from and that they are produced in a way that minimizes negative impact and makes a positive contribution to individuals, communities and the planet” Says Nicole Roos, Business Executive Officer, Coffee & Beverages at Nestlé, South Africa.

Launched in 2010, the Nescafe plan is a tangible effort of how Nestlé creates shared value in the coffee sector for farmers, communities and our planet. It shows a commitment to continuously support responsible and increasingly sustainable value chains. Nescafe Ricoffy has managed to reach the 100% Responsibly Sourced Coffee Beans in Quarter 3 of 2020, which is an incredible achievement for the future of responsible sourcing of coffee beans.

The launch was attended by various industry sustainability experts, including Jackie May, Editor of Twyg Magazine, Gisèle Wertheim Aymés, Editor of Longevity Magazine and Longevity Live, Dion Chang, Business Strategist and Founder of Flux Trends, Xoli Fuyani, environmental education coordinator with Earthchild, as well as Earth Warrior and philanthropist Catherine Constantinides. The focus was a global conversation around sustainability, repurposing and the importance of creating a generation that is environmentally conscious as well as insights from each panelist from their respective fields of expertise.

The announcement forms part of Nestlé South Africa’s recently launched RE (RETHINK, REDUCE AND REPURPOSE) sustainability initiative. RE is aimed at reinforcing all its sustainability initiatives, strategies and resources to help mitigate sustainability challenges and strengthen its contribution to a waste-free future.

Nescafe Ricoffy is a 100 percent sustainably sourced project which is a practical testament of Nestle’s sustainability commitments in South Africa. It encapsulates all that the RE initiative represents – rethinking our entire value chain, reducing our impact on the environment and providing tangible proof points of our sustainability efforts through our loved brands” says, Saint-Francis Tohlang, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Director at Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR).

There’s a story in every sip to come with Nescafe Ricoffy and even more so with a responsibly sourced future ahead. The instant chicory and coffee extract is here to stay, with their use of respectfully grown coffee beans, with 100% responsibly sourced, sharing pride & respect from farm to cup.

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More than beans: Nestle recycles cocoa fruit waste to replace sugar in chocolate
BusinessManufacturing & Consumer GoodsNestle

More than beans: Nestle recycles cocoa fruit waste to replace sugar in chocolate

by Blessing Ubani
written by Blessing Ubani

That ticks several boxes with health- and environmentally-conscious consumers.

As confectionery groups scramble to reduce added sugar, chocolate sweetened with cocoa fruit pulp is about to hit supermarket shelves with food giant Nestle ready to launch its “Incoa” bar.

Using cocoa fruit pulp, which is normally discarded, to flavour products reduces sugar and cuts food waste while boosting the income of cocoa farmers who can “upcycle” their cocoa by selling both the pulp and the beans.

That ticks several boxes with health- and environmentally-conscious consumers.

“This is a big launch, we give it to all the customers who want it and don’t limit supplies,” Alexander von Maillot, Nestle’s global head of confectionery, told Reuters this week.

The company is launching Incoa, which has no added sugar, in supermarkets in France and the Netherlands with other European markets to follow.

Nestle is sourcing the raw material from cocoa farms in Brazil, but also working with partners in West Africa to see if pulp production could work there. Von Maillot said cocoa farmers could boost their income by 20-40% if they also sold the pulp.

Lamine Keita, a cocoa farmer in Duekoue, Ivory Coast, said he hadn’t yet been asked to sell cocoa fruit pulp. “If we can sell more than the beans to increase our income, that’s all we can ask for because beans alone are not enough to get us out of poverty,” he said.

Jerome Koffi, who cultivates cocoa on four hectares of land in Soubre, also said he’d gladly sell more, but at the moment there was only demand for beans.

Fruit pulp doesn’t come cheap – Incoa bars on Dutch retailer Albert Heijn’s website cost about 50% more than other dark chocolates. But Von Maillot said although the cost meant pulp was not suitable for replacing sugar in mainstream products, there may be other uses for cocoa fruit chocolate, for example in baking.

Upcycling trend

Lindt & Spruengli and Germany’s Ritter Sport have also launched limited editions of cocoa fruit chocolate which sold out quickly. Both said they planned to launch the products on a larger scale once enough cocoa fruit was available.

Swiss chocolate maker Felchlin’s cocoa fruit preparation found its way into macarons and truffles that high-end chocolatier Spruengli – unrelated to Lindt – called a “world novelty”.

Lindt and Felchlin source cocoa fruit pulp from Swiss-Ghanaian startup Koa, which uses solar-powered mobile units to process fresh pulp from 1 600 small farmers. Koa is able to process 250 tonnes a year but wants increase its capacity 10 fold within the next two years.

Industry major Barry Callebaut, meanwhile, is getting ready to supply its WholeFruit Chocolate to chefs and artisans. It has also set up a dedicated brand, Cabosse Naturals, to sell cocoa fruit ingredients to customers like Mondelez International to use in fruity snacks.

The Upcycled Food Association said commercialising cocoa fruit worldwide could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20 million tonnes per year. It defines “upcycling” as using food ingredients that humans wouldn’t consume, with verifiable supply chains and a positive environmental impact.

Brigette Wolf, head of Mondelez’s SnackFutures, said upcycling appealed to those who want to “make an impact” with their food choices.

The company plans to have three varieties of CaPao Cacaofruit Fruit Bites on sale this year, in more than 2 000 stores by the end of 2021 or early 2022.

African tastes

Commodities specialist Tedd George said extracting additional value from the crop could boost West Africa’s cocoa sector because current incentives were only focused on growing and selling more beans.

“There’s an opportunity for new products made from cocoa fruits to also be health products and that changes the game for the value you can get out of them,” he said, citing health benefits associated with dark chocolate.

Nestle has been repositioning itself as a health and wellbeing company, reducing sugar in its products, and has also set sustainability targets including for cocoa.

George said the launch of cocoa fruit products didn’t address fundamental issues like child labour or deforestation, but could fuel investment and drive change in cocoa-producing communities.

He said companies should also develop cocoa products for African tastes. “If there was also local demand for cocoa, that would boost farmers’ pricing power.”

Moneyweb

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Eastern AfricaEnergyNestleNewsSpotlight

Nestle Ethiopia to recycle all plastic waste in 12 months

by Blessing Ubani
written by Blessing Ubani

Nestlé Ethiopia recently launched a programme to manage plastic waste in the country. This initiative which is aimed at achieving plastic neutrality by December 2021 is part of the Swiss Nestlé mission, a subsidiary that will work with the local sustainability consultant TS Environment Technology.

Nestlé Ethiopia’s plastic waste management programme was launched in the capital Addis Ababa on December 17th, 2020. Through this initiative, the subsidiary of the Swiss food specialist Nestlé wants to dispose of all its plastic waste in this East African country. In Wossenyeleh Shiferaw words “Using TS Environment’s technology and expertise, we will start with a pilot plastic waste recovery system targeting specific locations in Addis Ababa, with the intention of expanding it in the near future,” according to Wossenyeleh Shiferaw, Nestlé Group Head for the Horn of Africa.

Nestlé Ethiopia has set aside twelve months to achieve this goal. During this period, the Swiss company and its partner TS Environment will collect, sort and weigh the recycled plastic waste, which will then be processed to make further plastic products. Non-recyclable plastic waste will be incinerated to produce electricity “in an environmentally friendly process”. By the end of 2020, Nestlé Ethiopia hopes to have collected, sorted and recycled or incinerated 40 tonnes of plastic waste. Its programme is expected to accelerate the process of collecting, recycling and sustainable disposal of plastic waste in Ethiopia.

Job creation
Nestlé’s plastic waste management programme will also create jobs, both in the chain of collection, sorting, weighing and transport of plastic waste. The initiative is part of the social commitment of the Swiss company, which uses plastic extensively in the packaging of its products. Nestlé aims to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

With the Swiss group strong presence in Ivory Coast, its subsidiary Nestlé in Ivory Coast also launched the same initiative “J’aime Cocody, loin de ma lagune les déchets plastiques“, which will help reduce plastic pollution in the lagoon bays. Similar projects are being developed in this West African region of the country.

Source: Afrik21

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Nestlé Central and West Africa Region appoints new CEO
AfricaBusinessManufacturing & Consumer GoodsNestleNewsTrending Today

Nestlé Central and West Africa Region appoints new CEO

by Blessing Ubani
written by Blessing Ubani

Nestlé has appointed Mauricio Alarcon as new Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Central and West Africa Limited, effective September 1, 2020.

Mr Alarcon has a robust and in-depth understanding of Central and West Africa.

A statement issued in Accra by Madam Marie Chantal Messier, Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs said in 2014, he became Managing Director of Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire, where, he drove business growth and efficiency.

He also headed Nestlé’s operation in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Mauritania and Cape Verde.

In 2016, he became the Managing Director of Nestlé Nigeria, the largest Nestlé operation in the region.

During his tenure in Nigeria, Mr Alarcon was a catalyst for change and innovation to achieve superior business performance amidst a volatile environment.

He also demonstrated a strong personal commitment to improving the lives of people within the company as well as in the communities it operates.

Mr Alarcon is a Mexican national with a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom.

He worked in the banking sector before joining Nestlé Mexico in 1999 and in 2004, he was appointed as Marketing Manager for the Ice Cream business in Australia.

He moved to Nestlé’s North and Eastern Africa Region as Business Executive Manager for Ice Cream in 2010, transforming the business by doubling turnover and improving profitability.

“I am honoured and excited to lead Nestlé Central and West Africa Limited. I look forward to joining forces with all our stakeholders to deliver Nestlé’s purpose, which is to unlock the power of food to enhance the quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come,” Mr Alarcon said.

He said, “We will achieve this by bringing to life our vision of delivering affordable and accessible nutrition to everyone in Central and West Africa.”

Mr Alarcon said they would also continue to build strong communities by improving livelihoods as well as intensifying our efforts to protect our planet for future generations.

Culled from Ghanabusinessnews

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AfricaAgricultureBusinessBusiness PoliciesNestleNews

Nestlé-IDH partnership to boost sourcing practices in Central, West Africa

by Blessing Ubani
written by Blessing Ubani

Multinational food and beverage giant Nestlé has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, as part of the Grown Sustainably in Africa (GSA) programme. The three-year partnership aims to support 25,000 farmers and 50 SMEs, as well as open up new markets for them in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, increasing employment and food security.

According to Nestlé, the collaboration seeks to develop and empower these farmers and SMEs to help Nestlé meet its goal of boosting its responsibly and regionally-produced raw materials used in the local production of its Maggi, Milo and Cerelac brands from 60% to 70% by 2022.

The IDH Grown Sustainably in Africa programme supports companies such as Nestlé to increase local sourcing and further incorporate local farmers and SMEs into their supply chains for African markets and beyond. Under the programme, IDH partners with retailers, brands and buyers to form broader long-term partnerships, with the aim of commercialising and improving business operations of potential SMEs and farmers in Africa who can supply these companies.

“In line with Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value approach, our new partnership with IDH will increase the capacity of farmers to produce high-quality crops that will enhance the local supply and help develop local economies – this is all part of our commitment to improving 30 million livelihoods in communities directly connected to our business activities,” said Rémy Ejel, chief executive officer (CEO) of Nestlé Central and West Africa Ltd. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the agricultural sector helps to support food security and eradicate hunger in the region, contributing about 15% of total GDP. However, based on current trends, the food production system in sub-Saharan Africa will only meet 13% of its food demand by 2050.

Low productivity means agricultural output in Central and West Africa is only 56% of the world average. Poor quality and high post-harvest losses impact on raw materials production, while a lack of knowledge, inadequate infrastructure and rising youth unemployment all affect sustainable supply.

The IDH-Nestlé partnership aims to address such challenges by encouraging farmers and SMEs to efficiently produce high quality and high-yield crops using best agricultural practices, and in turn, also help to reduce their environmental impact and the need for natural resources.

Such efforts highlight the importance of this year’s Earth Day, which focuses on climate action. In 2019, Nestlé announced a new ambition to achieve zero net GHG emissions by 2050, in line with the UN climate pledge. To guide its efforts, the company identified several key actions: fight deforestation, reduce food loss and waste, work with farmers to reduce GHG emissions, develop alternative packaging solutions, and help suppliers manage soils through regenerative agriculture and tree planting. As part of the GSA programme, the partnership aims to address challenges faced by farmers and SMEs who lack access to affordable finance, technical and management capabilities.

In line with Nestlé’s Responsible Sourcing Guidelines and IDH’s vision, the collaboration will enable farmers to become reliable suppliers for other companies beyond Nestlé, increase African trade, and create permanent employment and opportunities for youths and women across the region.

The IDH-Nestlé partnership will be delivered in three stages. The set-up phase will define the project structure, before analysis is carried out to assess and identify farmers and SMEs, in line with Nestlé’s business model. Next, the technical team will hold regular meetings with each farmer and SME and provide them with long-term support to build on their local sourcing capacities. When SMEs graduate and start providing reliable quality supply, IDH’s Farmfit Fund will help provide them with affordable working capital to scale up their businesses.

“This partnership pairs IDH’s technical expertise in agriculture value chain development and innovative financing through the €500m IDH Farmfit Fund, with commitments from Nestlé’s supply chain. It will help to transform farmers and SMEs into long-term, sustainable operators and have a massive impact on building up the African economy, creating jobs and increasing food security,” said Joost Oorthuizen, executive director for IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative.

This news was culled from Bizcommunity

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