Nestlé's billionaire brands and Nestlé-free week

Nestlé's brands are crucially important. If the translation and my notes from the Nestlé shareholder meeting last week are correct, then more so than I previously thought. Commenting on the share valuation of the company, Mr. Brabeck, Chief Executive and Chairman, said that this is four times the value of its capital assets. In other words the company is worth far more than the factories and machinary it owns. This value is contained in the brands it owns.

This is what it says in one of the reports issued to shareholders:

---Quote begins

Nestlé - a company built on strong brands

Strong brands build strong relationships with consumers. Strong brands inspire innovation. Strong brands have a natural momentum for faster growth. Strong brands achieve higher profitability and create longer-term shareholder value. Nestlé is built on a foundation of very strong brands. Some are global, some regional, some local. Most have category leadership, globally or locally, and are an integral part of people's lives. For example, over 4000 cups of Nescafé are drunk every second.
---quote ends.

Nescafé is the principal target of the boycott because it is so widespread around the world. You can find posters, mugs, t-shirts and cards to promote the boycott of Nescafé in our on-line Virtual Shop at
http://www.babymilkaction.org/shop/

Nescafé is Nestlé's most important brand. But there are others. At the meeting and in the report Nestlé highlights its 'billionaire brands'.

Here they are:

Nescafé
Milo
Nesquik
Nestea
Nespresso

Nestlé (milk products)
Nido
Coffee mate
Carnation

Nestlé (water)
Nestlé Pure Life
Poland Spring

Nestlé Infant Nutrition
Nestlé Baby Food

Maggi
Buitoni
Lean Cuisine
Hot Pockets
Stouffer's

KitKat
Nestlé (chocolate, confectionary and biscuits)

Nestlé (ice cream)
Dreyer's
Edy's

Purina
Dog Chow
Friskies

Alcon

So these are the best known and most widespread as well as being the foundation of Nestlé.

While we target Nescafé it is good to remind people of the importance of the other brands. As I reported recently, a national coffee kiosk company in the UK dumped Nestlé Kit Kat following consumer requests. See:
http://boycottnestle.blogspot.com/2007/03/coffee-chain-seeks-alternatives-to.html

We will shortly be launching new posters and other materials for targeting other Nestlé brands in preparation for Nestlé-free week. This is to take place during the first week of July, encompassing the anniversary of the first Nestlé boycott, which led to the introduction of marketing requirements by the World Health Assembly and a promise by Nestlé to abide by them. The boycott was relaunched as Nestlé did not keep its promises and continues to be the worst of the baby food companies.

If you have an artistic eye and would like to send us materials for targeting products in the Nestlé range, please do. We'll add those that won't cause us legal problems to our website www.babymilkaction.org and produce those that are downloaded the most. You can find other brands in our boycott section.

And why not get planninng for promoting Nestlé-free week in your locality.

It will be 2-8 July and is being promoted by boycotters around the world to encourage those who do not boycott, or focus on Nescafé, to give all Nestlé products a miss for this one week.