At Nestlé, we believe in unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. We’re always working to help drive the next big thing in food and beverage—our relentless pursuit of innovation enables us to meet the evolving needs of our consumers and gives us the opportunity to help uplift the communities where we live and work.
An important aspect of Nestlé’s mission is helping to ensure the next generation is equipped to make their mark in the world. We’re passionate about this because we know the entrepreneurs and innovators of tomorrow will introduce fresh ideas and bring unique perspectives and knowledge to their future career fields—within the food industry and beyond. They’ll drive the future of farming, build game-changing businesses and create compelling innovations that will shape how we eat and live. That’s why helping support these future leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful is so important to us.
Our Nestlé Needs YOU initiative is all about helping develop the next wave of innovators in the U.S. by providing skill-building opportunities and fostering career connections throughout the industry. We team up with organizations that share our vision to engage with emerging innovators and entrepreneurs, and just this year alone, we’ve already connected with thousands of students across the country through key programs and collaborations. Here are a few highlights from our journey so far:
Collaborating with Future Leaders at the DECA International Career Development Conference
It was incredibly exciting to serve as an executive sponsor of the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) this year, which draws over 25,000 business and marketing students nationwide. DECA’s mission is to prepare emerging leaders for their careers and college, which includes upskilling thousands of future entrepreneurs. This makes their flagship educational conference a great forum to engage with the next generation of innovators.
During the conference, students visited our Nestlé booth where they learned about technology and the future of food—they had the chance to use Virtual Reality to see some of our manufacturing and R&D facilities, and interact with our robotic dog, Spot, who helps with daily tasks that support processes in our factories.
Booth visitors also learned about our “Always On Innovation Challenge” through Nestlé’s global YEP platform, and they pitched their ideas for the next big thing in food & beverage to our employees. Outside of the expo hall, our employees participated in workshops and panels to connect with students interested in food and retail, and our sponsorship also provided continuing education scholarships and awards for students from various competitions.
Elevating Culinary Education & Aspiring Chefs Through ProStart
Nestlé Professional Solutions, our foodservice business for operators and out-of-home consumers, is a leading supporter of ProStart—a two-year educational program that unlocks culinary and food entrepreneurship pathways for students in thousands of high schools across the U.S. Throughout the year Nestlé provides expertise and in-kind support to help future culinarians develop skills that can help them thrive in the culinary industry.
A highlight of our sponsorship is the National ProStart Invitational—This live “Top Chef” style competition recently took place in Baltimore, Maryland and showcased the culinary talent of students from across the country. Two Nestlé chefs served as judges for the cooking competition finals and our employee ambassadors engaged with participants throughout the weekend, offering their insights and expertise, and cheering on tomorrow’s future chefs as they showcased their creativity and culinary skills.
Fostering Innovation Through The National STEM Festival
This year, Nestlé served as a sponsor of the National STEM Festival to help upskill next-generation leaders who are working toward an innovative and resilient future. The STEM Festival is all about showcasing student ideas and connecting them with industries, experts and opportunities to help shape the future.
I’m proud that our sponsorship funds helped ensure student project finalists could attend the festival, and my highlight was participating in a mentorship roundtable where I had the opportunity to provide feedback to students across the country who had winning ideas in the “Future Foods” project pathway. Additionally, as part of our work with the organization, Nestlé’s head of R&D in North America recently shared her experience and insights into careers in the R&D field through a nationwide classroom webinar, helping students enhance their understanding of innovation and food science careers.
Embracing innovation and bringing new ideas to life is core to Nestlé, and I believe we’re helping expand the definition of what it means to be a future food innovator—Whether its learning the latest culinary and hospitality trends, thinking about ways to solve pressing challenges like climate change or hunger, or leveraging new technology to create efficiencies in manufacturing.
When we support future innovators across our entire value chain, we’re not only supporting Nestlé’s ambition to continue unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life—we’re also helping the next generation thrive, no matter what types of careers they choose.
