Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Ah, the Swiss: "Nestle Finds a Reliable Supply of Brain Cells"

From Corporate Intelligence:
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You might think Nestlé’s supply-chain effort is limited to edibles like chocolate chips for its Toll House cookies, but there’s so much more going on beneath the surface at the Swiss food producer. From the WSJ:
Under the deal, Nestlé will obtain brain and liver cells from Cellular Dynamics International Inc.ICEL +1.05% and study how nutrients found in foods affect these human cells, according to Emmanuel Baetge, director of the Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences, a research arm of the Swiss company. Nestlé aims to use the insights to develop nutritionally enhanced drinks, smoothies and other products that it can market as having medical benefits.
Cellular Dynamics  supplies its cells to most of the top pharmaceutical players, but the Nestlé deal is the first time it is doing business with a food company. The plan, according to Emmanuel Baetge, director of Nestlé’s research arm, is to ”to take advantage of the space between food and pharmaceuticals.”...MORE