Nestlé Invests In New Zealand Maker Of Kiwi-Based Functional Foods, Drinks

In a move that further entrenches it in the burgeoning medical nutrition market, Nestlé SA announced it will acquire an 18 percent stake in Auckland, New Zealand-based Vital Foods, a producer of kiwi-based functional drinks and dietary supplements used to treat intestinal disorders. Vital Foods, founded in 1991 and financed in recent years by the Nestlé Health Science venture capital fund, said the new funding would allow it to pursue clinical trials (in irritable bowel syndrome) and enter new markets. According to this Reuters report, Nestlé Health Science has targeted three main areas for product and market development: gastrointestinal health, metabolic and brain health.