Nestle S A : launches R&D Accelerator to drive innovation for dairy products and plant-based dairy alternatives
September 29, 2020 at 09:44 am EDT
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Nestle today inaugurated a new R&D Accelerator to drive innovation and speed-to-market of sustainable dairy products, as well as plant-based dairy alternatives.
Located at Nestle's R&D center in Konolfingen, Switzerland, the R&D Accelerator provides a world-class platform for start-ups, students and scientists to leverage Nestle's unique dairy and plant protein expertise to quickly bring products from ideation to commercialization.
Nestle R&D Konolfingen is an integral part of the Swiss innovation ecosystem. It is the company's largest research and development center for dairy products and plant-based dairy alternatives. The R&D center develops new product concepts for Nestle's dairy and infant nutrition businesses before they are introduced to consumers around the world.
Speaking at the inauguration, Mark Schneider, Nestle CEO, said, 'Innovation in milk products and plant-based dairy alternatives is core to Nestle's portfolio strategy, as well as our sustainability agenda. As a company, we have set ambitious climate goals. This is part of our promise to develop products that are good for you and good for the planet.'
The R&D Accelerator in Konolfingen features a fully equipped test kitchen, as well as a co-working office space. Internal, external and mixed teams will leverage Nestle's capabilities to bring novel ideas from concept to test shop in only six months. They will have access to Nestle expertise and key equipment such as small to medium scale production equipment to facilitate the rapid upscaling of products for a test launch in a retail environment.
Thomas Hauser, Head of Global Product and Technology Development at Nestle said, 'Our goal is to provide start-ups, students and Nestle scientists with key resources to quickly explore new ideas through a 6-month test and learn approach. By tapping into our expertise in food science, food safety, regulatory, manufacturing processes, and packaging, they can rapidly upscale and test new products in real market conditions.'
The R&D Accelerator in Konolfingen is part of Nestle's global R&D Accelerator initiative which was first launched at Nestle Research in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Nestlé S.A. is the world's leading agri-food group. Net sales break down by category of products as follows:
- powdered and liquid beverages (26.7%): soluble coffees (Nescafé and Starbucks brands), coffee in capsules (Nespresso), chocolate drinks (Nesquik, Milo, etc.), tea drinks (Nestea), etc.;
- pet food (20.3%): brands such as Purina, Friskies, Felix, etc.;
- pharmaceutical, nutrition and well-being products (16.4%): nutritional supplements (Resource, Boost, Nutren, Optifast, Peptamen brands, etc.), infant and maternal nutrition products (NAN, illuma, Cerelac, Nido, Gerber), ketogenic beverages (BrainXpert), (Nesquick, Fitness, Cheerios, Lion, etc.), etc.;
- ready meals and seasoning products (12.5%): frozen and chilled dishes (Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets and Stouffer's brands), soups (Maggi), etc.;
- dairy products and ice cream (11.8%): powdered milk, sweetened condensed milk, yoghurt and cream desserts, ice cream (Nido, Nesvita, Carnation, La Laitière, Coffee Mate, Nestlé Ice Cream, Dreyers, Häagen-Dazs, Extrême brands, etc.);
- chocolates, sweets and biscuits (8.7%): Kit Kat, Smarties, Cailler, Terrafertil, etc. brands;
- bottled waters (3.6%): Nestlé Pure Life, Vittel, Perrier, S. Pellegrino, etc. brands.
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: Switzerland (1.2%), France (3.8%), the United Kingdom (3.8%), Germany (2.4%), Europe (12.8%), the United States and Canada (35%), China (5.9%), Asia and Oceania (21.4%) and Latin America (13.7%).
NESTLÉ S.A. 
