However, no mention of asset disposals or portfolio trimming were mentioned by Navratil, at least not in his presentation, and neither were potential acquisitions.And much of the innovation has been sideways or bolt-on rather than groundbreaking new stuff. M&A has tended to resolve that.Like many big CPG manufacturers, Nestlé being the world’s largest, they have built up huge portfolios that have arguably bloated resources and some, characterised as legacy brands, have dropped out of favour as consumers evo ...

Core Viewpoint - Nestlé's new CEO, Philipp Navratil, has announced a plan to cut 16,000 jobs over the next two years to adapt to changing market conditions and drive growth [1][2] Group 1: Job Cuts and Financial Impact - The job reductions will consist of 12,000 white-collar positions and 4,000 in manufacturing and supply chain [1] - The cuts are expected to generate annual savings of SFr1 billion ($1.3 billion) by the end of 2027, an increase from the previous target of SFr500 million [3] - However, the job cuts will incur one-off costs estimated at "two times annual savings" [4] Group 2: Growth Strategy and Performance Metrics - The primary focus of the new strategy is to drive improvements in real internal growth (RIG), which excludes pricing effects [3] - Nestlé reported a nine-month RIG result of 0.6% with a pricing component of 2.8%, while organic growth was 3.3% and reported sales fell 1.9% to SFr65.9 billion [5] - The CEO emphasized the need for rigorous resource allocation and prioritizing high-potential growth opportunities [6] Group 3: Innovation and Market Position - Navratil indicated plans to address market-share losses and emphasized innovation as a key driver for growth [6] - The company aims to foster a performance-oriented culture that does not accept losing market share [6] - Previous guidance remains unchanged, with expectations for improved organic growth in 2024 and an underlying trading operating profit (UTOP) margin of "at or above 16%" [6]