Latest news with #Nesquik
IOL News
7 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Nestle struggles amid weak China market
File photo of Nestle CEO Laurent Freixe. Image: AFP Nestle said on Tuesday its net profit fell in the first half of the year as the Swiss food giant behind Nespresso coffee capsules and KitKat chocolate bars struggles to turn around its fortunes amid sluggish consumer spending in China. The company whose brands also include Purina dog food, Maggi bouillon cubes, Gerber baby food and Nesquik chocolate-flavoured drinks, reported a 10.3% drop in first half profits to 5.1 billion Swiss francs (R113 billion). Sales, however, only dipped by 1.8 percent to 44.2 billion francs, which was due in large part to passing on higher cocoa and coffee prices to consumers, although faced even greater headwinds from the strong Swiss currency. "We are also taking decisive measures to strengthen our business in Greater China," said chief executive Laurent Freixe. The company said China, which has suffered sluggish domestic consumption amid a deflationary price environment, had a 0.7 percentage point impact on organic growth in the second quarter. Overall, the company reported 2.9% quarterly organic growth, which strips out currency effects and other elements to measure performance. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Nestle warned China would continue to weigh on growth as it invested to turn around its performance. Nestle's shares fell 3.5% in a Swiss market that was flat overall, as the sales figures missed the analyst consensus calculated by Swiss financial news agency AWP. Net profit came in slightly higher than expected. Nestle made a surprise switch of its chief executive last year amid soft spending by consumers for food and household goods. Nestle's share price slumped by nearly a quarter last year, raising concerns in Switzerland, where pension funds invest heavily in the company. The company launched a number of measures to boost its product offering and cut costs. That was reflected in better organic growth in the second quarter compared to the same period last year, and Nestle said that it was expected to continue for the rest of the year. Nestle said it was maintaining its 2025 guidance "despite factoring in increased headwinds". It aims for an underlying trading operating profit margin of at least 16% this year, compared to 17.2% in 2024. It came in at 16.5% in the first half of the year. AFP
NZ Herald
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
New Whittaker's banana caramel block hits shelves - what does it taste like?
The Herald's Mitchell Hageman and Bethany Reitsma review Whittaker's newest chocolate creation. Photo / Finn Little As we prepare to bid farewell to the iconic Jaffa, a new fruit-flavoured chocolate concoction has landed on supermarket shelves. If banoffee pie is your favourite dessert, or banana Nesquik was a staple of your childhood, then Whittaker's newest creation might be a contender to fill
Scottish Sun
09-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Sweet-toothed fans are racing to Iceland for retro snack inspired by iconic 2000s drink
Nestle has recently hiked the cost of chocolate choco lot Sweet-toothed fans are racing to Iceland for retro snack inspired by iconic 2000s drink Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SHOPPERS are flocking to Iceland to get their hands on a snack inspired by an iconic 2000s drink. Nesquik now comes in yogurt form, and they are bringing back some core memories for millennials. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Nesquik Chocoballs were spotted in Iceland Credit: Facebook / Snack Reviews The cereal treat is a split pot with a generous helping of sweet yogurt made from 83 percent milk and crunchy chocolate balls. The four-pack of 107g Chocoballs pots is being sold exclusively at Iceland for £2.80. There is also a deal on now where you can buy three packs for just £6.00 - saving yourself £2.40. Or you can mix and match them with a choice between Muller Corners or Quality Street's Toffee Dessert. One savvy shopper spotted the tasty treat in their local Iceland and shared a photo on Snack Reviews Facebook page. "I need," one wrote, adding the eyes emoji. "I want these for me, not the kids," another joked. Nesquik was a huge hit in the 2000s and is known for its range of flavoured milk drink powders, particularly the iconic chocolate variety. It has been a staple in many British households for decades, often associated with childhood memories and nostalgic comfort. In addition to the classic powders, Nesquik in the UK has expanded its product range to include ready-to-drink bottles and cereal, further cementing its presence in the breakfast and snack categories. Dunnes Stores fans set for frenzy as major new food section lands in supermarkets This comes as Nesquik's creator Nestle revealed it hiked the cost of its chocolate and coffee for customers. The Swiss company said it's raised its prices by 2.1% overall - but for some items the hikes are in the double digits. It blamed surging costs of coffee beans and chocolate. "Despite the significant level of the increases in many markets, the actions were implemented with limited customer disruption," Nestle said. Nestle produces a range of products, including chocolates, sweets, cereals, drinks, ice cream and pet foods. Among its popular brands are Aero, Milkybar, Smarties, Milo, Haagen Dazs, San Pellegrino, and Felix cat food. The company said it had better-than-expected sales growth of 2.8% in the first three months of the year. The higher prices accounted for much of the rise. Nestle said it had seen demand drop significantly following the price increases but it is now bouncing back. It also warned there could be further impacts on customers due to higher global tariffs. Donald Trump recently launched a global trade war when he announced major tariffs on dozens of countries. The move has raised fears of a global recession, sent stock markets tumbling and caused economic uncertainty for businesses trading internationally. Mr Trump has called on American companies to produce their products in the US to avoid costly tariffs. But for chocolate makers this is near impossible as the key ingredient, cocoa, can only be grown in tropical climates. On top of this, the price of cocoa has soared in recent years. Farmers in West Africa, where 70% of the world's cocoa is harvested, have been struggling with climate-related issues that have decimated their cocoa production. It's estimated 400,000 tonnes less of cocoa has been produced over the last few years, hiking the price significantly.
The Sun
09-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Sweet-toothed fans are racing to Iceland for retro snack inspired by iconic 2000s drink
SHOPPERS are flocking to Iceland to get their hands on a snack inspired by an iconic 2000s drink. Nesquik now comes in yogurt form, and they are bringing back some core memories for millennials. 1 The cereal treat is a split pot with a generous helping of sweet yogurt made from 83 percent milk and crunchy chocolate balls. The four-pack of 107g Chocoballs pots is being sold exclusively at Iceland for £2.80. There is also a deal on now where you can buy three packs for just £6.00 - saving yourself £2.40. Or you can mix and match them with a choice between Muller Corners or Quality Street's Toffee Dessert. One savvy shopper spotted the tasty treat in their local Iceland and shared a photo on Snack Reviews Facebook page. "I need," one wrote, adding the eyes emoji. "I want these for me, not the kids," another joked. Nesquik was a huge hit in the 2000s and is known for its range of flavoured milk drink powders, particularly the iconic chocolate variety. It has been a staple in many British households for decades, often associated with childhood memories and nostalgic comfort. In addition to the classic powders, Nesquik in the UK has expanded its product range to include ready-to-drink bottles and cereal, further cementing its presence in the breakfast and snack categories. Dunnes Stores fans set for frenzy as major new food section lands in supermarkets This comes as Nesquik's creator Nestle revealed it hiked the cost of its chocolate and coffee for customers. The Swiss company said it's raised its prices by 2.1% overall - but for some items the hikes are in the double digits. It blamed surging costs of coffee beans and chocolate. "Despite the significant level of the increases in many markets, the actions were implemented with limited customer disruption," Nestle said. Nestle produces a range of products, including chocolates, sweets, cereals, drinks, ice cream and pet foods. Among its popular brands are Aero, Milkybar, Smarties, Milo, Haagen Dazs, San Pellegrino, and Felix cat food. The company said it had better-than-expected sales growth of 2.8% in the first three months of the year. The higher prices accounted for much of the rise. Nestle said it had seen demand drop significantly following the price increases but it is now bouncing back. It also warned there could be further impacts on customers due to higher global tariffs. Donald Trump recently launched a global trade war when he announced major tariffs on dozens of countries. The move has raised fears of a global recession, sent stock markets tumbling and caused economic uncertainty for businesses trading internationally. Mr Trump has called on American companies to produce their products in the US to avoid costly tariffs. But for chocolate makers this is near impossible as the key ingredient, cocoa, can only be grown in tropical climates. On top of this, the price of cocoa has soared in recent years. Farmers in West Africa, where 70% of the world's cocoa is harvested, have been struggling with climate-related issues that have decimated their cocoa production. It's estimated 400,000 tonnes less of cocoa has been produced over the last few years, hiking the price significantly.
Fox Sports
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
'Winners Drink Milk': Inside the iconic dairy celebration at the Indy 500
Bruce Martin Special to INDIANAPOLIS — Two of the greatest traditions of the Indianapolis 500 began in the same year when Louis Meyer became the first three-time winner of the Memorial Day Classic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the first year for the Borg-Warner Trophy, the incredibly impressive silver trophy that has become one of the most iconic trophies in the world. Although the winner doesn't get to keep the permanent Borg-Warner Trophy, a sterling silver bas-relief likeness of the winner's face is attached to the trophy along with the other winning drivers in the history of the Indy 500. The second tradition, however, began organically — literally. When Meyer pulled into Victory Lane after 200 grueling laps that make up the 500 miles in the race, he was thirsty. He asked for a cold bottle of buttermilk, and he drank as photographers snapped photos of the celebration. The following day, many newspapers around the United States featured the photo of the winning driver of the Indianapolis 500 drinking from a bottle of milk. It was the birth of a legend. But first, a backstory few people might know. The actual buttermilk back in the 1930s, was actually different than today's strong-tasting, acidic buttermilk that is used in baking and brining. It would be considered "sweet cream" by today's dairy standards. Brooke Williams, the Director of Communications for the American Dairy Association of Indiana, knows the real story of what happened on May 30, 1936. "The buttermilk that Louis Meyer drank was back when they churned butter and took the cream off the top of the butter," Williams told FOX Sports. "That was the buttermilk that Louis Meyer wanted. That sweet, rich, buttermilk. "Today's buttermilk is made for baking, and it should probably stay that way." Ed Carpenter actually wants buttermilk if he wins the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday to keep Meyer's buttermilk tradition. "When Ed Carpenter says, 'I want buttermilk again,' we say, 'Let's see you drink actual buttermilk and maybe you'll want whole milk,'" Williams said. Whole milk is the preferred choice for the winning drivers because it looks much better in photos than skim, which has the fat removed and is thinner. Two percent is also an option. "Whole milk is trending," Williams said. "Twenty-nine of the 33 drivers chose whole milk. But we have had a winner with skim milk." So far, no driver who chose chocolate milk has won the Indianapolis 500. But there was the time in 2021 when four-time Indianapolis 500-winning driver Helio Castroneves put powered strawberry in his bottle of milk, creating a pinkish hue that befuddled the dairy representatives in Victory Lane. "When Helio won a few years back, he drank a sip of the white milk, then somebody handed him a bag of powdered strawberry like a Nesquik, and he added it to the milk bottle and our hearts dropped wondering what was going on as we watched him drink it. "His car was pink that year and he wanted strawberry milk." But there was no bigger controversy than Emerson Fittipaldi's victory celebration after he won the 1993 Indianapolis 500. It was Fittipaldi's second Indy 500 win and the two-time Formula One champion and two-time INDYCAR champion from Brazil pushed away the bottle of milk and drank a bottle of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Fittipaldi owned a massive orange grove in Brazil and was attempting to go off-script and promote the Brazilian orange juice industry. Indy 500 officials quickly intervened and told Fittipaldi if he didn't drink the milk in victory lane, his winner's check would be much "lighter." Fittipaldi relented and drank the milk, but by then the television cameras had already switched to another postrace interview. The "Orange-gate" controversy lives to this day. "I remember when I was back in elementary school when that happened and I had never even gone to the Indy 500 and I knew about it then," Williams said. "It is definitely something we remember. "When his grandson (Pietro) was a rookie a few years back, he made sure to tell me he would drink the milk if he won. "I know Emerson after the fact knew he should have drank the milk first." There is one form of milk that a driver cannot have, and it's raw milk that gained attention from the organic crowd. "We tell them every year raw milk is illegal in Indiana, so that takes care of that," Williams said. "We are accommodating several drivers this year who are lactose intolerant, so we will have a lactose-free option for those drivers. "Otherwise, it's whole milk, 2 percent and skim." Although Meyer was the first to drink milk in Victory Lane after the Indianapolis 500, it didn't become an annual tradition until 1956. The owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the time was Tony Hulman, and he made the Bottle of Milk a permanent part of the Victory Lane celebration. Winning driver Pat Flaherty savored the first "official" swig of milk after his 1956 victory. In 1975, the American Dairy Association of Indiana established a new award for the first-time drivers — the Fastest Rookie Award. On Tuesday, pole winner Robert Shwartzman of Prema Racing was honored at a luncheon along with Indiana Dairy Farmers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Shwartzman is both the fastest rookie in the race and the fastest qualifier in the race. The last time that happened was Teo Fabi in 1983. The rookies in this year's race all took turns milking a cow named "Indy" — a popular dairy cow that also appears at the Indiana State Fair every August. Dairy Farmers became part of the tradition in 2005 when a rookie and veteran dairy farmer handed the bottle of milk to winning driver Sam Hornish, Jr. In 2006, the pre-race preference poll began as drivers could choose between whole, 2 percent or skim milk. For the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the 350,000 fans in attendance were given bottles of milk to drink in synch with race winner Alexander Rossi, who was also that year's Fastest Rookie Award winner. "Since 1936, milk has been a staple at the Indianapolis 500 and is now a tradition the Indiana Dairy Farmers hold near and dear to their heart," Williams said. "Every year that bottle of milk represents almost 700 dairy farmers in the state of Indiana, but also a worldwide audience. "A lot of milk fans take on that 'Winner's Drink Milk' mentality and we are very happy Louis Meyer started it in 1936." The American Dairy Association of Indiana gives each of the 33 drivers in the Indianapolis 500 starting lineup their choice of whole milk, skim milk or 2 percent milk if they win the race. That means there are three different bottles awaiting the winner, along with more bottles for the winning team owner. At one time, chocolate milk, was an option. The "Bottle of Milk" is deeply rooted in the history of the Indianapolis 500. It's as much a tradition of the race as the singing of "Back Home Again, in Indiana." "In 1936, Louis Meyer drank a bottle of buttermilk in Victory Lane and ever since then, it has become a symbol of victory and a tradition here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. "With more than 115 years of history (at the Speedway), our traditions are something that united new and old fans alike. "At Indy, 'Winners Drink Milk.'" Eighty-nine years after Meyer drank buttermilk after winning the Indianapolis 500, it was the birth of a movement for the dairy industry. "In 1936, to have Louis Meyer be an advocate for dairy that long ago and for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to see what that meant at that time and be carried out for so many years and the appreciation that the milk tradition means for the Indianapolis 500 and for the drivers, it's something our dairy farmers are proud of to make that happen," Williams said. A cold bottle of milk remains one of the "coolest" prizes that goes to the winner of any sporting event on Earth. Bruce Martin is a veteran motorsports writer and contributor to Follow him on X at @BruceMartin_500 . BEST OF FOX SPORTS' INDY 500 COVERAGE: Ranking Indy 500 drivers from 33 to 1: Can anyone unseat Josef Newgarden? 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