Another year, another top spot for Nestlé. By product category, the largest contributor to organic growth for Nestlé was coffee, fueled by strong momentum for the three main brands Nescafé, Nespresso and Starbucks. Sales of Starbucks products grew by 17.1% to reach CHF 3.1 billion, generating over CHF 1 billion of incremental sales compared with 2018, the company revealed in its 2021 full-year report. This year, Nestlé notably transformed its global water business, sharpening its focus on international premium and mineral water brands and healthy hydration products. In March, Nestlé completed the acquisition of Essentia Water, a premium functional water brand in the U.S., and the sale of its regional spring water brands, purified water business and beverage delivery service in the U.S. and Canada. Across its portfolio, Nestlé completed acquisitions and divestments with a total value of around CHF 9.9 billion in 2021.

PepsiCo remains the second-largest food and beverage company in the world although YOY revenue increased, the company is bracing for a challenging future. Inflation in prices for ingredients combined with higher shipping costs will hurt its prospects next year.