Nestle Buys Jenny Craig

[Gemini Cricket]

Switzerland's Nestle bought weight-loss company Jenny Craig for around $600 million, it said on Monday, expanding its high-margin nutrition and health business.

Jenny Craig, which according to Nestle had sales of over $400 million in the last 12 months, was founded in 1983 by weight-loss guru Jenny Craig, offering dieters prepared meals and exercise programs.

Source (http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/19/news/companies/jenny_craig.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes)

Hey, that's kinda funny.
:D

[Alex]

Though most famous for chocolate Nestle is a huge company selling a wide-range of foods (from infant formula to Purina dog food) and food services.

Since, at root, Jenny Criag is all about selling pre-made meals it seems like a logical fit for the company.

Just as an aside, some brands that you may not realize are owned by Nestle: Alpo dog food, Arrowhead water, Butterfinger, Buitoni pasta and sauces (sponsor of Redd Rockett's Pizza Port), Calistoga water, Coffee-mate, Fancy Feast cat food, Friskies cat food, Juicy Juice fruit drinks, Kit Kat, Lean Cuisine frozen prepared meals, Lifesavers, Mighty Dog dog food, Ortega Mexican food products (sponsor of Rancho del Zocalo), Purina pet foods (sponsor of Disneyland's kennel), San Pellegrino water, Smarties candies, Stouffers frozen prepare meals, Taster's Choice coffee, Tidy Cat cat litter, Wonka candies, Zephyrhills water (the water that ubiquitous in Orlando area).

That ignores all the products that actually have some form of Nestle in the name (Nestle Crunch, Nescafe, Nesquick, Nestea).

Considering how much Nestle sponsors at Disneyland, maybe they can get some Jenny Craig meals on the menu somewhere so that the average dinner won't consist of 3,500 calories and 60 grams of fat.

[Not Afraid]

Nestle is one of the big, no HUGE, food service products companies. They are up there with Kraft, Nabisco, Tyson, Ft James (paper) and a few others.

[Gemini Cricket]

Okay, work with me here. Work for the funny.
What is Nestle known for? Friskies? No. Nestle Chocolate. You say Nestle and people think chocolate. You say 'Nestle' and someone else will say 'Nestle's Crunch'.
I feel like I'm pushing a huge unfunny cart up Ha-Ha Hill, people.
:D

[cirquelover]

I think it's hilarious that a chocolate company has bought a weight loss company!! Wouldn't that be a great example of an oxymoron!?!

[Alex]

When I think Nestle I think "giant international conglomerate" not "chocolate company." For specific products I tend to think of their coffee products more than anything else since I grew up making Nescafe instant coffe for my great-grandmother almost everyday.

But then I worked for years with them in their international conglomerate role and never once dealt with issues related to chocolate.

What I find funny is not that a "chocolate company" bought a weight loss company (especially since they had already done that years ago when they purchased Lean Cuisine) but rather that abouf 5 mega-companies produce about 80% of what you'll find on the shelves at your local grocery store.

[Stan4dSteph]

I love the line of noodles they make in New Zealand. Maggi noodles. They're like ramen, except they're low fat and come in flavors like Thai Sweet Chili.

[Alex]

If you like those more interesting ramen flavors you should check any Japanese or Indian grocery stores you can find in Albany (a quick search found one called India Spices at 10, Fuller Rd, Albany, NY).

There are a lot of flavors available that you won't find in your general American grocery. I was surprised how many options there were in our local Indian grocery but they seem to have a thing for Chinese food too (with some interesting combinations of Indian-Chinese) and it extends to ramen.

[cirquelover]

I've never been a coffee drinker so when I hear Nestle I think Nestle Crunch bars or even ice cream bars.
I've never really paid attention to what parent company owned who until recently but I do find it kind of crazy that about 5 mega companies own almost everything now a days! I guess it was bound to happen with all these companies aquiring each other and looking for new ways to profit but it still seems crazy that they own dog food companies, weight loss, water, food and chocolate under one hat. I just recently found out that most fast food companies own many others, that just don't seem to go together to me ie...Taco Bell, Bk, and Pizza Hut, or something like that.

I guess I'm just old school and behind the times;)

[tracilicious]

If you like those more interesting ramen flavors you should check any Japanese or Indian grocery stores you can find in Albany (a quick search found one called India Spices at 10, Fuller Rd, Albany, NY).

There are a lot of flavors available that you won't find in your general American grocery. I was surprised how many options there were in our local Indian grocery but they seem to have a thing for Chinese food too (with some interesting combinations of Indian-Chinese) and it extends to ramen.



The ramen you get at your average grocery store is so very yucky. However, I've found that the ramen at the health food store that actually comes from Japan (well, it has Japanese writing on it) is very very good. The noodles are thinner and more delicate and the flavor more intricate. Put a boiled egg in and some mushrooms and it's a darned good meal. Sigh...I hate being low carb.

[Kevy Baby]

Okay, work with me here. Work for the funny.
What is Nestle known for? Friskies? No. Nestle Chocolate. You say Nestle and people think chocolate. You say 'Nestle' and someone else will say 'Nestle's Crunch'.
I feel like I'm pushing a huge unfunny cart up Ha-Ha Hill, people.
:DScrew all them serious types!

I got a chuckle out of it!!! :) :) :)

[Matterhorn Fan]

You must spread some Mojo around before giving it to Gemini Cricket again.I laughed.