Nestlé Completes its Acquisition of Gerber 

03/09/07 As a result of the successful conclusion of the regulatory process, Nestlé completed its acquisition of Gerber, the iconic US baby food brand, on 31 August , with effect on 1 September 2007. Consequently, the integration process of Gerber will now begin as about 4,500 Gerber employees, with their specific know-how and expertise, join the Nestlé Group.

This is a major step in Nestlé's transformation into the world's leading nutrition, health and wellness company: it gives the Group the number one position in the largest single baby food market worldwide, the USA, and clearly establishes Nestlé Nutrition as the global leader in this sector.

The acquisition of Gerber, which comes in the wake of the Jenny Craig and Novartis Medical Nutrition purchases, transforms Nestlé Nutrition into a business approaching CHF 10 billion in sales with an enhanced critical mass and access to the Group's global R&D network to drive innovation.

Novartis said that the USD 5.5 billion sale was the final step in a divestment program to focus the Group's strategy on healthcare with pharmaceuticals at the core. Following this final divestment, all Novartis businesses activities will be concentrated on healthcare, areas where the Group has expertise and synergies in addressing the needs of patients and customers. These include innovative pharmaceuticals for human and animal health, vaccines and diagnostics, generics and consumer health products such as over-the-counter (OTC) brands.