Zurich - Nestle SA is cutting the salt content of one of its zestiest
brands Maggi noodles, soups and seasonings as the world’s largest food company
responds to consumer and government demands for healthier products.
The Swiss company plans a 10 percent average salt reduction
across Maggi’s range by 2020, while adding more vegetables and other
nutrient-rich ingredients. The changes, announced Tuesday, are part of a
company-wide initiative to reduce sodium, saturated fat and sugar.
“Maggi will push the envelope to certainly be ahead of our
commitments,” Wayne England, the head of Nestlé’s food business, said in a
phone interview, adding that he expected the brand’s sales to increase as a
result.
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The move comes at a time when big food companies such as
Mondelez International and Unilever try to introduce healthier products as
governments implement sugar taxes and seek to cap sodium levels. The industry
has struggled with slowing sales as consumers increasingly shun packaged food
they perceive as unhealthy and laden with artificial ingredients. Millennials,
attracted to organic produce and food from local sources, are accelerating the
shift.
Noodles, Bouillon
While the salt reductions for Maggi are in line with Nestlé’s
broader targets, the change in one of its biggest and saltiest ranges deepens
the company’s commitment to meeting them. Maggi generated sales of about 3
billion francs ($3.1 billion) to 4 billion francs last year, estimates
Jean-Philippe Bertschy, an analyst at Bank Vontobel AG. Noodles and bouillon
cubes are the brand’s best-selling products, he added.
In Switzerland,
one serving of Maggi beef broth cubes contains 3.1 grams of salt. The World
Health Organization recommends a daily intake of no more than 5 grams, as
elevated intake raises the risk of stroke. Most people consume about twice that
amount.
Food companies revamped about 180 000 products worldwide
in 2016, up from some 23 000 in 2014, according to a Consumer Goods Forum
survey released last year. Nestle has been adapting about 8 000 products a
year. Balancing demands for healthier food with consumer tastes can be tricky.
“Companies don’t want to do anything that might cause
customers to stop buying products,” said Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor
at New York University who isn’t linked to the maker
of Maggi. “If they make changes too quickly, customers might notice. Most
companies are reducing salt and sugar slowly and invisibly, but at least
they’re doing it.”
The revamp, which also includes selling more Maggi products
with extra iodine, iron and vitamin A, will probably spur demand, England said.
With some reformulated items already being rolled out, the brand’s sales are
increasing at a rate of more than 3 percent, he said. Going forward, the
company expects growth of as much as 5 percent.
Still, the industry could be more aggressive because
consumers will probably accept even bigger cuts in salt, according to Leith
Greenslade, head of JustActions, a group that campaigns on health and other
issues. She cited a study showing a 70 percent cut in processed meat didn’t
lead to any significant backlash from shoppers.