Nestlé is in the process of creating an institute of agricultural sciences that will make large-scale changes in production and sourcing of raw materials. The institution will build on existing key programs, such as the sustainable cocoa and coffee sourcing initiatives, from which high-yield, drought and disease-resistant coffee varieties were born.

The institute will be based in Lausanne, Switzerland, as Nestlé’s global research organization division, due to be formally inaugurated later this year. 

It will also include the company’s plant science unit in France and existing cocoa, coffee and dairy research farms based in Ecuador, Côte d’Ivoire, Thailand and Switzerland. 

“The new institute will accelerate the translation of science into concrete solutions that can be implemented at farm level, to support farmers globally in improving their environmental footprint, in reducing food and nutrient losses, and in better adapting to climate change while ensuring the quality of the raw materials they produce,” says Stefan Palzer, CTO Nestlé.

Accelerating the plant-based movement
The institute will be responsible for finding promising agricultural technologies. It will focus on plant science, dairy livestock and agri-system science and combine scientific solutions to improve the nutritional and sensory of raw materials.

A key area of focus of the institute is to realize a regenerative food system and align it with its net-zero roadmap. 

Specialists at Nestlé are trying to identify the most suitable pulses and grains to provide low carbon, plant-based alternatives to meat, seafood and dairy.The institution will build on existing programs such as the sustainable cocoa and coffee sourcing initiatives. 

In 2021, Nestlé financially backed a US$4 million seed round for Sundial Foods, a plant-based meats company mimicking chicken wings. The California-based vegan start-up expects its chicken wings to be available in US restaurants by spring 2022. 

In addition, Nestlé developed a sorghum-based porridge that upcycles a Milo side stream to fully valorize raw materials and avoid nutrient loss. The sorghum is blended with cereals such as wheat and maize. 

Using a side stream usually discarded during malt production for Milo helps reduce the cost of ingredients and provides a nutritious breakfast option to lower-income families. 

Slashing carbon emissions
The focus on plant science will be extended to additional crops. The institute will further research reducing dairy farming emissions, developing regenerative agriculture practices, improving biodiversity and soil health. 

New approaches to upcycling agricultural side streams will be explored to minimize nutrient loss and food waste in the value chain.

Experts at the institute will work closely with academic institutions and research organizations, start-ups, industry partners and farmers to assess and develop solutions and adapt them for implementation and scale-up across the company’s supply chain.

It will rely on existing collaborations, such as the research program with ETHZ, to reduce the carbon footprint of agri-products.

“At the institute, we will screen a wide variety of science-based agricultural solutions and assess their potential for reducing the environmental footprint of key agricultural raw materials,” says Jeroen Dijkman, head of the Institute of Agricultural Sciences. 

“Together with our research and industry partners, we want to bring the most promising approaches and solutions to farmers and contribute to their transition to regenerative practices with scalable and impactful applications.”

Nestlé invests CHF1.7 billion (US$1.84 billion) annually in R&D on 23 sites around the world to accelerate the innovation of science-based products across life stages.