The FINANCIAL — Millions of families will be able to increase their intake of important nutrients in the morning as Nestlé improves some of its most popular breakfast cereals.
Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), Nestlé’s 50/50 joint venture with General Mills, has committed to reducing the sugar content of 20 Nestlé breakfast cereal brands popular with children and teenagers to 9g or less per serving by the end of 2015.
The changes will mean Nestlé breakfast cereals will have a sugar reduction of up to 30% across brands including Nesquik, Chocapic, Honey Cheerios, and Milo.
The reductions in sugar will be made alongside other nutritional improvements. Specifically, whole grain will be the main ingredient in all the new recipes.
The amount of calcium per serving will be increased to at least 15% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), which varies in different parts of the world. As Nestlé announced, in the European Union, 15% of the RDA for calcium is 120mg.
The sodium content will also be reduced to 135mg or less per serving.The announcement reflects CPW’s continuing efforts to make it easier for consumers to eat a nutritious breakfast without compromising on taste.
Since 2003 the company has removed more than 9,000 tonnes of sugar and almost 900 tonnes of salt from its recipes, while adding more than 3.4 billion servings of whole grain.
“Breakfast cereal is an affordable, convenient and nutritious way to start the day,” said Jeff Harmening, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cereal Partners Worldwide.
“Nestlé breakfast cereals provide whole grain and are typically lower in fat, salt or sugar than many other breakfast options.
“They are also lower in calories, containing less than 200 per serving with milk.”
CPW aims to help consumers boost their intake of whole grain by providing a minimum of 8g per serving in the majority of Nestlé breakfast cereals.
Although health authorities worldwide recommend that people should increase their consumption of whole grain as an important part of a balanced diet, studies suggest that in some countries as many as nine out of ten still do not eat enough.
“We were the first global breakfast cereals producer to add whole grain to our products and we have been steadily increasing the amount since 2003,” Mr Harmening added.
“We continue to improve our products to provide consumers with essential nutrients while preserving the tastes they enjoy as part of our commitment to nutrition, health and wellness.
“We are committing to improve about 5.3 billion portions of Nestlé breakfast cereals in more than 140 countries around the world,” he added. “By fortifying more of these products with calcium, we can help to make a positive impact on children’s growth and bone development.”
Consumers can find clear facts and figures about the ingredients and nutritional profile of all Nestlé breakfast cereals on every pack.
Although CPW is reducing sugar in Nestlé breakfast cereals, their energy content will remain roughly the same. Sugar is being replaced with other ingredients, typically other carbohydrates, which contain a similar amount of calories.
Nestlé and General Mills set up Cereal Partners Worldwide in 1990 to produce and sell breakfast cereals outside North America.
Today CPW is the world’s number two breakfast cereal company outside North America, with Europe being its largest market.
The joint venture sells products in more than 140 countries, and employs more than 4,000 people.
As part of its ongoing commitment to research and development, CPW recently opened an Innovation Centre in Orbe, Switzerland with an investment of nearly CHF 50 million.
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