On the United Nations International Day of Families, Nestlé announced its global “Nestlé for Healthier Kids” initiative. The program includes the further development of healthier products and support for families on nutrition and exercise. It aims at helping 50 million children lead healthier lives by 2030.
Since its beginning, Nestlé has been committed to helping parents and caregivers provide the right nutrition to their children. With this new initiative Nestlé is accelerating its efforts to support local communities and their health promotion goals along with continued improvements to its food and beverage portfolio worldwide. In 2017 alone, the company launched more than 1000 new products to meet the nutritional needs of children. In the same year, it provided 174 billion servings of fortified foods and beverages in 66 countries where people lack essential micronutrients such as iron, iodine and vitamin A.
Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO, said: “Childhood is a time where life-long habits are formed. We want to help parents make healthier choices for their children. This is why we are accelerating our efforts to support families in raising healthier kids and we call on others to join us in this endeavour.”
Nestlé already reformulates around one third of its product portfolio every year. It will use its industry-leading innovation capability to further enhance foods and beverages for children with even more fruits, vegetables, fiber-rich grains and micronutrients. Nestlé will also continue to reduce sugars, salt and saturated fats.
Nestlé Canada is committed to delivering nutrition-focused products and improving the nutritional profile of those products specifically enjoyed by children. Some recent new product launches include Gerber Organic Purees offering a variety of fruit and vegetable puree options and new Lil’ Beanies, a legume-based baked snack. In addition, Gerber Baby and Toddler Cereals continue to provide an important source of iron in a child’s diet. Other products like Nesquik now offer consumers reduced sugar options in both the syrup and powder formats.
Over the past decades, Nestlé has improved the nutritional value across its product range and driven by its purpose to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future, it has pledged to accelerate this work.
By 2020 globally, the company will:
- Add at least 750 million portions (80g) of vegetables to its products;
- Add at least 300 million portions (16g) of fiber-rich grains, pulses, nuts & seeds to its products;
- Continued reduction of added sugars by 5% by volume across the portfolio. Since 2000, the company has reduced sugars by over 34%;
- Continued reduction of salt by 10%. Since 2005, the company has reduced salt by over 17200 tons;
- Complete the commitment taken in 2014, to reduce saturated fats by 10% in all relevant products that do not meet WHO recommendations.
Nestlé will also enhance programs and online services designed to provide parents and caregivers with more nutritional knowledge, healthy recipes and practical tips. In 2017, over 300 partnerships worldwide have helped us reach more than 14 million children. In fall 2018, Nestlé Canada will be launching a new Nestlé for Healthier Kids program designed to support local communities in their nutrition and health promotion goals.
For more information on what Nestlé is doing for healthier kids: https://www.nestle.com/healthierkids
For more information on Nestlé commitments: Nestlé in Society
Contacts Media: Christoph Meier | Tel.: +41 21 924 22 00