Nestle Aims to Blur Line Between Food, Medicine

VEVEY, SwitzerlandNestle announced it will invest $500 million to pioneer a  new industry between food and pharma."

 The combination of health economics, changing demographics and advances in health science show that our existing healthcare systems, which focus on treating sick people, are not sustainable and need redesigning," said Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe. Nestlé has the expertise, the science, the resources and the organisation to play a major role in seeking alternative solutions. Personalised health science nutrition is about finding efficient and cost effective ways to prevent and treat acute and chronic diseases in the 21st century."

According to Nestle, two organizations will be formed to meet this goal: Nestlé Health Science S.A., and The Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences

Nestlé Health Science S.A. will be closely associated with the companys existing food, beverage and nutrition business, and will incorporate the existing global Nestlé HealthCare Nutrition business.

The Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences will be part of Nestlés global R&D network. According to a Nestle press release, Nestlé will invest hundreds of millions of Swiss francs over the next decade to build a world-class Institute of Health Sciences, which will conduct research in relevant areas of biomedical science to translate this knowledge into nutritional strategies to improve health and longevity..

 The creation of Nestlé Health Science S.A. and the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences is the best way to focus our attention and organize our unique capabilities and competencies to seize this promising business opportunity," said Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke. The new set-up will give us a pioneering and leading role in this entirely new industry, while at the same time allowing us to keep the necessary focus on Nestlés extremely important food, beverages and nutrition business, as embodied by our binding promise of Good Food, Good Life."