2013 Power 50: Paul Grimwood, No. 1 in Suppliers

Paul Grimwood

Paul Grimwood’s career with the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company has brought him to the Middle East, Switzerland, the U.K., Ireland and now stateside, as Nestlé USA’s chairman and CEO.

Grimwood was appointed to the role last August to succeed a retiring Brad Alford. He had been CEO of Nestlé UK & Ireland since 2009, and headed the Nestlé UK Confectionery business for three years prior.

"Paul has a commitment to bringing the best of Nestlé — both people and practices — from around the world to our U.S. operations," said Chris Johnson, executive vice president and zone director for the U.S., Canada, Latin America and Caribbean, and the person to whom Grimwood reports. "He has a passion for excellence, our products and the belief that we can win in a very tough marketplace."

Grimwood has the track record to back that thinking up. During the recession he delivered consistent growth in sales and profitability and grew overall market share for Nestlé UK & Ireland.

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Here in the U.S. he’s focused on the economy, the digital revolution and new product innovation.

"We’re making changes to our business so that we can invest back in our brands and assets, and deliver products that meet consumer and customer needs like our new Lean Cuisine Salad Additions, which helps people create restaurant-quality salads in minutes," Grimwood told SN.

The just-add-lettuce combinations come frozen in a microwaveable pouch in varieties like Asian-Style Chicken Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette.

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More innovations will likely follow as Nestlé S.A. invests $53 million to expand its existing R&D facility in Solon, Ohio, to include a Product Technology Center focused on frozen and refrigerated foods.

Before they can become Nestlé products, food and beverages are vetted through Nestlé’s global 60/40 program which ensures that at least 60 of 100 people on a consumer panel prefer the Nestlé product over the competitors’. The plus stands for a nutritional benefit. Now sustainability is also taken into consideration.

"I am asking for our teams to demonstrate that our products have an environmental sustainability benefit," Grimwood said. "We focus on water preservation, natural resources efficiency, air emissions reduction, climate change adaptation and zero waste."

In that vein, Nestlé USA has committed to purchasing enough certified Nestlé Cocoa Plan beans to produce the entire line of Nestlé Crunch bars. The Nestlé Cocoa Plan is the company’s global initiative to help improve the lives of cocoa farmers and the quality of their products while assuring a sustainable cocoa supply for years to come. Nestlé USA has also launched "Balance Your Plate," an education campaign to help consumers build nutritious, convenient meals using frozen entrees as the "center of the plate" and fruits and vegetables as sides.

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