Nestle plays down RFK Jr’s anti-packaged food rhetoric

By Richa Naidu

VEVEY, Switzerland (Reuters) – Nestle (NS:NEST) has played down concerns about anti-packaged food rhetoric from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the United States’ top health agency.

Kennedy — who has said on the trail of his own Presidential campaign that he wants to “Make America Healthy Again” and called out Kellogg (NYSE:K)’s Fruit Loops cereal in an interview two weeks ago — has pushed for major changes at the Food & Drug Adminstration, including the removal of nutrition departments.

Speaking on the sidelines of Nestle’s capital markets day event for investors, Steve Presley, executive vice president and chief executive officer of Nestle’s North America business said he was “less concerned” by Kennedy’s previous comments.

“If you step back from some of the emotional issues, what he believes in is more regenerative, cleaner, agriculture, which we fully believe in,” he said.

Presley said Nestle had spoken with the Trump transition team since his election win.

“We have spoken to the (Trump transition) team absolutely as one of the largest manufacturers, both from an industry perspective and to help shape the agenda in terms of how they can help create economic opportunity in the US.”