Shaping the future with emerging trends
We live in a fast-changing world. Consumer needs evolve quickly. Smaller, faster start-ups constantly appear, to follow and even create new trends. The demand for healthier, more natural products increases daily.
Accelerating innovation
To meet these challenges, we need to be agile, to come up with new ideas and get them to market quickly while maintaining quality and safety. The size of our research and development network and our global reach allow us to use fast prototyping and quick in-market testing.
We have taken a number of steps to accelerate innovation, including our enhanced prototyping capabilities and the funding of fast-track projects. With the Nestlé R+D Accelerator and its proximity to our R&D and business teams, we will bring open innovation to a new level.
Examples of our recent innovations in the UK include Wunda, a pea-based beverage that you can use just like milk and Nescafé Gold Blend Roastery Collection, barista-style soluble coffees that harness the company's unique expertise in roasting technology to deliver new taste profiles.
Wunda was developed as part of Nestlé's R+D Accelerator initiative. Working with a start-up mindset, Nestlé 'intrapreneurs' created and scaled-up this great tasting, nutritious pea-based beverage in only six months.
They had access to the company's unmatched dairy and plant protein expertise as well as proprietary technologies and small to medium scale equipment. The product's neutral taste and high protein content allows it to be fully versatile for many different uses.
Collaborating closely with the company's coffee business, experts at the Nestlé's Coffee Research and Development Centre in Orbe, Switzerland and Marysville, USA developed innovative approaches to roasting for Nescafé Gold Blend Roastery Collection, plus recipes and packaging – all within an eight-month timescale from idea to launch.
The experts worked tirelessly to perfect different roasting profiles for the Arabica and Robusta beans used in the two blends, experimenting with roasting levels and roasting times to emphasize the natural taste of the different beans fitting the current trend towards specialty coffee.
Plant-based alternatives
With the world population expected to rise to 10 billion by 2050, there is simply not enough land, water and energy to sustain the high meat-based diet we currently enjoy.
For us, the challenge is simple – to make meals based on plant protein as healthy, flavourful, affordable, and as easy to prepare as meat dishes.
That’s why, at Nestlé, we are increasing our range of tastier and healthier plant-based products for consumers. We are working to adapt our product portfolio as part of our Net Zero Roadmap, to reduce their environmental impact and help meet consumer demand for sustainable products.
Globally, we have around 300 scientists, engineers and product developers dedicated to the research and development of plant-based products. Located in eight centres around the world, this represents almost 10% of our research and development employees. To complement our internal capabilities, we also collaborate strategically with researchers, suppliers, start-ups and other innovation partners.
Our expanding range of vegan products includes:
Garden Gourmet
The Garden Gourmet Sensational range offers delicious and nutritious meat substitutes for food lovers looking to cut down on meat but not wanting to compromise on taste. All products in the range can be easily switched into everyday meals and include Sensational Mince, Sensational Burger, Sensational Sausage and Sensational Mediterranean Fillet Pieces.
The Garden Gourmet's meat substitute products are high in protein and are a source of fibre. They are also good for the planet and the brand has committed to be carbon neutral by 2022.
Wunda
Wunda is 'epic in everything' that you would otherwise use milk for.
Made from yellow split peas, Wunda has a neutral, refreshing taste that makes it a great alternative and versatile choice for people who want a plant-based drink that tastes closer to dairy.
Not only does Wunda taste great, it is also nutritious and sustainably produced and has been certified as carbon neutral by the UK Carbon Trust.
Carnation Vegan
We launched a vegan condensed milk alternative to the iconic Carnation range made from a blend of oat and rice flour.
The milk is certified by the Vegan Society as suitable for anyone following a vegan diet who wants to get busy baking.
The Vegan Condensed Milk Alternative brings the plant-based trend straight into the kitchen for home baking.
Rowntree's vegan-friendly
Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles, one of the UK and Ireland's most popular confectionery brands for almost 140 years, became vegan friendly in 2020.
We trialled over 30 recipes to remove the gelatine while ensuring the sweets retained their fruity flavour and iconic chewiness.
Nescafé Gold Vegan Lattes
Our Nescafé Gold Oat and Coconut lattes are the world's first plant-based soluble coffee mixes.
Certified by The Vegan Society, these smooth creamy lattes are great-tasting, environmentally friendly, and a source of calcium.
In 2019 the range won The Grocer New Product Award in the hot beverages category and Product of the Year in the Dairy Alternative category.
Nescafé Dolce Gusto plant-based pods
Coffee fans can also enjoy vegan-friendly barista-style coffee from their pod coffee machine - Nescafé Dolce Gusto Flat White plant-based pods in almond, coconut and oat varieties.
The range of plant-based pods is registered by the Vegan Society.
Understanding gut health
We partnered with Imperial College London, in 2016, to explore the human microbiome. We want to better understand the role those billions of bacteria in our gut play in the way our bodies respond to food and nutrients.
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