Nestlé looks set to swallow up McCartney range of frozen meals

Independent Online Edition | News

Nestlé is either trying to change its image as one of the ten most unethical companies in the world by whitewashing its image with acquisitions of more ethical companies, or it is truly moving in the direction the winds seem to indicate the market is heading, or it is trying to put more ethical companies out of business to eliminate the competition...

I have to say, I'm really surprised at this sale. I'd like to think that the middle option is the likeliest choice, but I'm not above suspecting Nestlé's motives:

The McCartney range, benefiting from celebrity endorsement and early entry into the market, has been a staple of British supermarket freezers for 15 years and is even popular among some non-vegetarians.

[snip]

Now the food giant Heinz, which has owned the range for seven years, is thought to be preparing to sell it and other frozen foods lines, which are suffering a slump as consumers turn to chilled, ready-prepared microwave meals in the belief that they are healthier. The same trend caused a 13 per cent drop in sales of the Birds Eye range, which is being sold by Unilever.

Nestlé owns 50.1 per cent of Israel's Ossem, whose subsidiary Tivall is understood to be preparing an offer for the McCartney range. Tivall already sells similar products to the British supermarkets Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury and Tesco.

So, yeah, at first blush it seems pretty evil, but then the fine print reveals that Nestlé's subsidiary already sells similar products, and is probably just bolstering its line. Ain't it funny how the multinational conglomerate world criss-crosses around all over the place until you don't even know who owns what?

Makes me want to run out to a farmer's market tomorrow.

Tags: Nestlé | Ossem | Tivall | Linda McCartney | vegetarian