FDBusiness.com

Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), Nestlé’s 50/50 joint venture with General Mills, has committed to reducing the sugar content of 20 Nestlé breakfast cereal brands popular with children and teenagers to 9g or less per serving by the end of 2015. The changes will mean Nestlé breakfast cereals will have a sugar reduction of up to 30% across brands including Nesquik, Chocapic, Honey Cheerios, and Milo.

The reductions in sugar will be made alongside other nutritional improvements. Specifically, whole grain will be the main ingredient in all the new recipes. The amount of calcium per serving will be increased to at least 15% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), which varies in different parts of the world. In the European Union, 15% of the RDA for calcium is 120mg. The sodium content will also be reduced to 135mg or less per serving.

The announcement reflects CPW’s continuing efforts to make it easier for consumers to eat a nutritious breakfast without compromising on taste. Since 2003 the company has removed more than 9,000 tonnes of sugar and almost 900 tonnes of salt from its recipes, while adding more than 3.4 billion servings of whole grain.

“Breakfast cereal is an affordable, convenient and nutritious way to start the day,” says Jeff Harmening, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cereal Partners Worldwide. “Nestlé breakfast cereals provide whole grain and are typically lower in fat, salt or sugar than many other breakfast options. They are also lower in calories, containing less than 200 per serving with milk.”

Nestlé and General Mills set up Cereal Partners Worldwide in 1990 to produce and sell breakfast cereals outside North America. Today CPW is the world’s number two breakfast cereal company outside North America, with Europe being its largest market. The joint venture sells products in more than 140 countries, and employs more than 4,000 people.