Nestle, GMA split
Nestle will drop its membership in the Grocery Manufacturers Association at the end of the year.
 

WASHINGTON — Nestle S.A., Vevey, Switzerland, will drop its membership in the Grocery Manufacturers Association at the end of the year. The news originally was reported by Politico.

The company is the second large food and beverage company to withdraw from the group this year. The Campbell Soup Co. announced its plans to leave the G.M.A. earlier this year.

A request for comment from Nestle USA, the company’s North American business unit, went unanswered.

Roger Lowe, GMA
Roger Lowe, executive vice-president of strategic communications for the G.M.A.

In a statement to Food Business News, Roger Lowe, executive vice-president of strategic communications for the G.M.A., said, “Companies decide to join and leave trade associations for a variety of reasons over time. We are disappointed when a member company decides to leave our trade association and pleased when companies of all sizes join to be part of our work on consumer transparency, sustainability, product safety, nutrition and retailer collaboration.

“As the leading trade association for food, beverage and consumer products manufacturers, G.M.A. is focused on our work in the months and years ahead on industry’s behalf on product labeling, nutrition, food safety, clear science-based ingredient disclosure, trade and tax issues. With 2.1 million manufacturing jobs, our industry is a vital part of the nation’s economic engine with good jobs and products that every family (uses) every day.

“Our work with the retail industry is empowering consumers with more tools and information to make informed choices. SmartLabel is being widely adopted with more than 14,500 products already providing more information than ever could fit on a package label, and our product code dating initiative will reduce consumer confusion and food waste. Nestle’s participation in G.M.A. will be missed, and we hope there will be a time when they will rejoin us.”

In announcing Campbell Soup’s withdrawal from the organization, Denise Morrison, the president and chief executive officer, said her company’s “beliefs have diverged from the rest of the food industry and from our trade association.”