For 140 years, nutrition has been at the heart of Nestlé’s philosophy and research. Discover how the company has constantly adapted to the expectations of parents throughout the 20th century and today continues to innovate even further. Nestlé strives to guarantee your child a high-quality diet that meets their nutritional needs fully.

Nestlé established its first presence in New Zealand in 1885 when the Nestlé trademark was registered. In 1908 the first Australian branch was opened and in 1911 Nestlé built the world’s largest condensed milk factory in Dennington, Victoria.

Nestlé opened laboratories in 1920 and the following year saw the launch of LACTOGEN infant formula, a brand still popular today.

Choose your section:

Nestlé’s commitments
Icons guidelines

Quality: Nestlé’s commitment

Since 1993, quality and safety have been incorporated within a programme – the "Nestlé Quality System" – covering all of the elements of the food chain, which involves:

1. Conforming to a strict regulatory framework
2. Farming production methods that are rigorously selected and controlled
3. Almost 100 checks carried out at all stages of production for optimal nutritional quality and maximum food safety
4. Recipes created by a panel of infant nutrition experts completely tailored to baby’s needs and that go beyond the applicable regulations
5. A rigorous selection of meat and fish
6. Clear information on the packaging to help mums to find their bearings and make the right choice when it comes to the products.

Choose another section

1. Conforming to a strict regulatory framework.

There are specific regulations to guarantee the quality and safety of food for babies and young children. These are in addition to those for common foods and their raw ingredients.

The purpose of these regulations is to guarantee that the food meet the specific needs of very young children. Numerous bodies are involved in drawing up these regulations:
On a global level, the WHO and the FAO* oversee the Codex Alimentarius bodies who set down agri-food standards.

Locally, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is responsible http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/

* WHO: World Health Organisation. FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation

2. Farming production methods that are rigorously selected and controlled.

Nestlé uses specifically chosen ingredients:

Product quality: partner farmers undertake are rigorously selected for growing raw materials intended for children’s food, far from all sources of pollution.
Optimised taste and nutritional quality: fruit and vegetables are only used when ripe so babies can benefit from their peak nutritional quality.
100% natural quality: no preservatives* or artificial colourings* and non-GMO.**
High standards of ingredient traceability that can go back as far as the original plot of land.
Treatments are strictly limited*: the use of phytosanitary products (pesticides) and fertilisers (nitrates) is strictly controlled.

* In accordance with regulations

** Genetically Modified Organism

3. Almost 100 checks carried out at all stages of production for optimal nutritional quality and maximum food safety.

Extremely rigorous checks are carried out at every stage of manufacturing: more than 100 checks are carried out by batch in terms of raw ingredients, as well as finished products (physical, chemical, bacteriological and organoleptic checks).
A very strict level of traceability: a small jar of carrots, for example, displays the hour and the minute of packaging, making it possible to find the fields which these carrots came from!

4. Recipes created by a panel of infant nutrition experts are completely tailored to baby’s needs and that go beyond the applicable regulations.

At stage 1:
       - Recipes have no added salt, preventing the overload of the baby’s delicate body.
       - Fruit compotes are 100% fruit (maximising vitamin C), so that a baby does not get used to overly sweet tastes.

At stages 2, 3 and 4: limited added salt and sugar content *.
       - Reduced protein content in the form of meat and fish, with infant formula remaining the main source of proteins.
       - The quality and quantity of lipids tailored to assist in the development of baby’s nervous system. Nestlé adds a mixture of sunflower and rapeseed oil to provide essential fatty acids, Omega 3 and 6, in its fish- or meat- based recipes.

A step-by-step introduction to foods, with different levels of complexity in recipes, from the extremely simple to the more advanced for older babies.

Textures that evolve according to baby’s abilities (smooth texture at 4 months, finely milled at 6 months, introduction of soft pieces of food at 8 months, introduction of small pieces of food at 12 months).
A discovery of tastes that is enriched at each stage, based on cooking methods that preserve the flavour of food.

* In accordance with regulations

5. A rigorous selection of meat and fish.

At Nestlé, the quality of the meat and fish used in the manufacture of our products is achieved through:

The rigorous choice of animal species, their geographical origins and their race (Charolais beef, Norwegian salmon, etc.).
Meat that is guaranteed to be 100% muscle: all of our meat is free from fat and offal.
Fish selected for the quality of their flesh.
Channels certified (beef, veal, pork, poultry) according to extremely rigorous criteria:
       - traceability of each animal back to the herd of origin,
       - control of animal feed (no meat meal*) and monitoring of the manufacturers of these feeds,
       - control of veterinary treatments, and respect for animal well-being

* In accordance with regulations

6. Clear information on the packaging to help mums to find their bearings and make the right choice when it comes to the products.

Our products no longer hold any secrets for you, thanks to packaging specially designed to meet parents’ expectations and babies’ needs:

“Stage” indicators on the face of each item of packaging, indicating to parents the age from which this product is suitable for the baby. These logos also highlight the nutritional benefits of the product.
Transparency on recipe composition, with a detailed list of ingredients*.
Highlighting of the nutritional values* of each product, by means of a clear nutritional table to reassure parents and delight baby in complete safety.
Labelling of potentially allergenic ingredients* (gluten, eggs, milk, etc.).

* In accordance with regulations

Infant food: observing strict quality control

Nutritional products for infants come under more rigorous legislation than that applied to products for adults. Nowadays, Nestlé is going even further and beyond applicable legislation, with strong commitments:

Without added salt Limited salt content	We have limited the salt in our products, helping not to overload a baby’s still delicate body. Our stage 1 recipes (from the age of 4 months) are without added salt and our recipes from stage 2 onwards have a limited salt content *.
100% fruit	Added sugars in our products are limited, so that babies do not get used to overly sweet tastes. Our fruit compotes are 100% fruit.
Essential fatty acids	Superioir quality and quantity of fats, tailored in our meat- or fish- based recipes and ranges, assist in the development of a baby’s nervous system.
Infant milk inside	Just the right amount of proteins are provided in our recipes with infant formula, meat or fish.
Cooking methods	High standards of taste and flavour are present in our recipes, which are bettered thanks to the introduction of new cooking methods.

These commitments play a role in offering mums foods that respect their baby's delicate, immature body and helping them to teach good eating habits.
* In accordance with regulations