The National Agency on Corruption Prevention of Ukraine listed the Swiss corporation Nestle as an international sponsor of war. The company continues to supply its products and expand its production base in Russia.
"During World War II, the company supplied food to the German Army and, at the same time, exported it to the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition. The Swiss corporation has not learned its lesson from recent history," the NACP commented.
At the beginning of 2022, the Swiss corporation had seven factories in Russia. The share of Nestle’s revenue made in Russia is slightly over 2% of its global revenue. More than 7,000 Nestle employees work in Russia, which is substantial support for the economy of the terrorist state.
After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the company announced the suspension of exports from and imports to Russia, except for essential and basic goods. Nevertheless, the shelves of Russian stores are still full of their products: Bystrow breakfast cereals, Maggi soups and broth cubes, Purina pet food, chocolate bars, and Nespresso coffee.
Nestle explains this decision by citing the need to provide the Russian population with "essential products" and to take care of its Russian employees.
Nestle is known to have imported $271 million worth of semi-finished products and raw materials into Russia during the first nine months of 2023. In 2022, the imports were worth $374 million.
In April 2023, the management of Nestlé Russia LLC asked the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation to restrict public access to the results of operations and financial statements of the company’s subsidiaries. The purpose of this step was likely to avoid Nestle’s subsidiaries being sanctioned.
The company’s product portfolio includes more than 2,000 brands worldwide, including KitKat, Nescafé, Nesquik, Nestea, and others. Nestle produces instant coffee, mineral water, chocolate, ice cream, dairy products, baby and pet food, and a range of other products.
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