Nestlé India to launch Cerelac variants with no refined sugar

This move follows widespread criticism that Nestlé received earlier this year after a Swiss agency Public Eye and International Baby Food Action Network (IBFAN) claimed that the company added sugar to baby products like infant milk in poorer South Asian nations including India, Africa, and Latin America but not in primary markets like Europe or the UK.

In a statement on its July-September quarter results, Nestlé India said that the expanded Cerelac range in India will now consist of 21 variants, of which 14 variants will have no refined sugar.

Of these 14 variants, seven will be available by the end of November 2024 and the balance will be introduced in the coming weeks.

“This was initiated three years ago and has culminated this year with the introduction of new Cerelac variants with no refined sugar,” Suresh Narayanan, Chairman and Managing Director of Nestlé India, said.

During the controversy in April, Nestlé India had said that the added sugar in Celerac was less than FSSAI’s regular permits and that it complied with local food norms.

It also added that it had reduced added sugars by 30% in the last five years.

Narayanan added further that Cerelac has entered its 50th year in India where the first batch was manufactured in its flagship factory in Moga, Punjab on September 15, 1975.

Also read: Nestle India Q2 Results: Volumes decline 1.5% as per sources; Stock extends losses