Nestlé recently opened a global R&D Centre for biscuits and cereal-based snacks in Santiago de Chile. The new R&D Centre will lead Nestlé’s global research and development in biscuits and cereal-based snacks, focusing both on innovation and renovation of products.  R&D Santiago will bring together specialists from various fields, including nutrition, engineering, product development and quality control. With ingredients such as wholegrain, fruits and nuts, biscuits are part of a healthy balanced diet. The development of new technologies at R&D Santiago will help to further reduce sugar and fat levels to make biscuits lighter, without compromising taste or texture. R&D Santiago will also develop biscuits with bioactive ingredients to improve digestive health as well as fortified products to address local micronutrient deficiencies, thereby adapting biscuits to local tastes and needs.  Nutrition is one of three main focus areas of Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value strategy based on our assessment that nutritional awareness and the desire for improved health and wellness will increasingly drive consumer choice and aiming to create both financial value for shareholders and nutritional value for lower-income populations.

As part of its ongoing commitment to deliver superior nutrition in its cereals, Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW) -- a joint venture between Nestlé and General Mills has committed to reduce sugar levels in cereals advertised to children by an average of 20%. Having reduced sugar in cereals advertised to children since 2004, CPW’s commitment to reduce sugar content further by an average of 20% will be carried out using existing technologies – as well as through advances that will be developed by the new CPW Innovation Centre, once it is fully operational by the middle of 2010. Christi Strauss, President and CEO of Cereal Partners Worldwide, said: “Throughout the years, CPW has invested to deliver superior nutrition in its cereals.  This is another important commitment that we are confident will be well received by consumers. By making this commitment, we will continue to deliver the superior nutrition that millions of consumers around the world have come to expect from us.” Ms Strauss stressed that the taste of the cereals will not change and added: “Reducing sugar without sacrificing the taste is a challenge.  But our joint venture has developed capabilities that are second to none in the food business. We can leverage these breakthroughs. It will require technology, time and substantial levels of ongoing investment, but we are committed to this initiative.” Throughout the past decade, CPW has led numerous innovations in cereal that deliver superior health and nutrition to consumers.  Due to the sugar reduction it has already achieved, CPW estimates that over 5,000 tonnes of sugar have been removed from its global food supply.