Nestlé announces two per cent sales growth in first nine months of 2018

Nestlé has announced total sales of CHf 66.4 billion (about US$66.65 billion) for the first nine months of 2018, a two per cent increase over the CHf 65.1 billion reported for the same period last year. “The nine-month sales show solid growth across most geographies and product categories,” Nestlé SEO Mark Schneider says. “We have reached significant milestones in portfolio management and are particularly pleased with the early closing of the Starbucks transaction “Our growth and efficiency initiatives put us on track to meet our full-year 2018 guidance and 2020 targets.” The company reported an organic growth of 2.8 per cent for group sales, with a real internal growth of 2.3 per cent and pricing of 0.5 per cent for the first three months of 2018. Nestlé says its coffee businesses contributed to positive growth across all sectors. North America saw continued growth in coffee, particularly in e-commerce, and Coffee-mate creamers. Nestlé says Nescafé performed particularly well in Mexico, West Europe, and South Asia. Nespresso maintained a mid-single-digit organic growth rate with strong growth in the Americas and Asia. Nestlé says the third quarter launch of the Vertuo system supported in six new markets contributed to Nespresso’s growth.