The meltdown at Nestlé

Behind the Money

Topher Forhecz

Markets, Investing, News, Banking, Finance, Business, Business News, Crypto

4.4 • 350 Ratings

🗓️ 15 October 2025

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

From KitKat candy bars to Perrier mineral water, Nestlé owns thousands of brands. But recently the world’s largest food and beverage company has severely underperformed its rivals in the wider consumer goods sector. The business is also emerging from a scandal involving its most recent chief executive. The FT’s consumer industries reporter Madeleine Speed explains how Nestlé’s challenges fit into an industry under pressure from shareholders, and what plans the group’s new leadership are considering.

Clips from TBS/YouTube and Nestlé

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For further reading:

The meltdown at Nestlé

Nestlé’s CEO ousting makes case for corporate ‘veep’

Denials and defiance: Nestlé chief’s exit over relationship prompts investor unrest

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Follow Madeleine Speed on X (@SpeedMaddie). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com

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Transcript

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0:30.3	to buy, sell, or retain any specific investment or service. So I have a question for you, Madeline.
0:36.1	When you hear the company named Nestle, what is the first thing that comes to mind for you?
0:41.5	I think the first thing that comes to mind for me is Ness Cafe, Nesbroso, all of the coffee brands that they own.
0:49.7	Yeah, all the Nesses. All the Nesses, yeah.
0:53.3	Yeah, for me, I was thinking about that myself,
0:56.0	and I feel like the first thing that my mind jumps to is Nestle Toll House cookies.
1:01.5	Do they have those in the UK?
1:03.3	They don't have them in the UK, but I believe that they have a shout out in Friends, the TV series.
1:09.4	Yes, Nesle Toulouse. My grandmother said she got the TV series. Yes, Nestle Toulouse. Nesley Toulhuis.
1:12.6	My grandmother said she got the recipe from her grandmother.
1:16.6	Neslaet Toulouse.
1:18.6	What was her name?
1:21.6	Neslaid Toulouse.
1:24.6	Nesley Toll House? Yesly. Lé Toulouse. Nestle Toulouse?
1:33.2	You Americans always butcher the French language.
	...

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