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Informist, Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

 

By Avishek Rakshit

 

KOLKATA – Nestle India Ltd. will focus on rolling out India-specific products and brands for its long-term growth in the country instead of introducing global brands. However, it will keep testing waters in India with its global brands, Chairman and Managing Director Manish Tiwary said on Friday.

 

"Where we see a strong fit, we do introduce select global products often as pilot launches or limited time offerings to test and build consumer interest," Tiwary said while responding to a shareholder's query at the company's 67th annual general meeting. "But for long-term growth, our focus remains on developing and adapting products for India in India at the right value equation."

 

In India, Nestle operates broadly in seven product categories – beverages, breakfast cereals, chocolates and confectionery, dairy products, foods, baby nutrition, and pet foods. It has 14 mother brands, with Nescafe, Maggi, and KitKat being the largest ones. 

 

Globally, however, Nestle S.A. – the parent company of Nestle India – has 11 broad product categories and over 2,000 brands. Global products and brands from portfolios such as water, frozen foods, food service, and ice cream are not available in India. 

 

"It's not a choice between global and local. The real opportunity is in combining Nestle's global capabilities with deep local insight and in being disciplined about what we can scale sustainability in the Indian market," Tiwary said.

 

Nestle currently sources 92% of its raw materials from India, which is one of the highest for global consumer and beverages companies operating in India. 

 

Tiwary said the India has become the largest market for its global chocolate-coated wafer brand KitKat during 2025-26 (Apr-Mar). Nestle India sold around 4 billion units of this brand during the year ended March 2025. Around two-three years ago, India was the second-largest market for this brand and a decade back, it was the 10th largest market for KitKat. India, with over 6 billion annual servings, is already the largest market for its iconic Maggi brand of instant noodles.

 

Amid the rising consumer trend of preferring healthier products and its rising salience especially among the young, Tiwary said while Nestle India will focus on rolling out healthier products, it will also maintain its focus on current products and a balanced portfolio is key towards the company "winning" in the highly competitive consumer goods market in India. 

 

"There are clear trends that consumers want both healthier choices while also wanting to delight in their favourites. We ensure that we are keeping pace with these trends while ensuring taste, quality, and affordability remain at the centre," Tiwary said. "Our approach always is to offer choice, everyday nutrition, improved recipes, and intelligent products to be enjoyed responsibly."

 

At 1219 IST, shares of Nestle India were up 0.2%at INR 1,449.70 on the National Stock Exchange.  End 

 

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

 

Edited by Avishek Dutta

 

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