NORTHFIELD, Ill., June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies are
continually challenged to find new ways to meet and anticipate
emerging consumer demands, create innovative quality products and
win in a fiercely competitive marketplace. Kraft Foods has
been meeting, and beating, those challenges.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090420/KRAFTLOGO)
As a result, more than two-thirds of Kraft Foods' products are
preferred to the competition -- compared to about half in
2006. And product innovation has boosted top-line
growth. New products generated 10.5 percent of net revenue in
2011, up from just 7.4 percent in 2009. In fact, Kraft Foods
has been stepping up its innovation investments for several years,
which is helping drive business momentum.
"Research and Development is the fuel for our growth engine,"
said Jean Spence, Executive Vice
President, Research, Development & Quality. "We're
blending sharp consumer insights with advanced technologies to
develop dozens of innovative new products that people want.
This is the recipe that delivered a higher rate of revenue from new
products last year than at any time in recent memory."
Kraft Foods' increased investments in its R&D centers, its
people and its ways of working have led to new products that better
seize upon emerging consumer trends. The company's R&D
team recently has created entirely new product categories with
MiO Liquid Water Enhancer, Philadelphia Cooking Creme,
Kraft MilkBite Milk & Granola Bars and Kenco
Millicano Wholebean Instant Coffee.
R&D team members created belVita breakfast biscuits
using a unique baking technology to better deliver sustained energy
from its ingredients, Oscar Mayer Selects meats that use
natural ingredients such as celery juice in place of artificial
preservatives, and Cadbury Perk chocolates that affordably
sell for 5 rupees in India. And
employees have played an important role in boosting the popularity
of Kraft Foods' products by adapting recipes to fit local
consumers' tastes, and improving foods' nutritional profiles.
For example, since 2010, advanced research has resulted in
the removal of more than 6,125 metric tons (more than 13.5 million
pounds) of salt from nearly 1,000 of its products in North America, without sacrificing taste,
texture or product quality.
As Kraft Foods plans to divide into two independent public
companies by the end of 2012, the company's R&D team has a
robust development pipeline that's already delivered more than 70
new products in the past year. Kraft Foods' R&D team is
institutionalizing its wealth of technical knowledge to ensure both
companies will have world-class innovation organizations on day one
after separation. Scientists, chemists and engineers are
better directed by consumer insights than ever before. And
they're attuned to the company's "glocal" approach to new product
development by quickly adapting global technology platforms to
local markets.
For additional information on Kraft Foods' recent innovation
investments around the world, including locations in Brazil, China, the Czech
Republic, France,
Mexico, Singapore, Switzerland, and the U.S., please visit
http://www.kraftfoodscompany.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/pdf/KFT_RDQ_Innovation_Investments_FactSheet.pdf.
About Kraft Foods Research, Development & Quality
Team
Kraft Foods' world-class network of approximately 3,300 food
scientists, chemists and engineers invent delicious products at 15
major R&D Centers in Asia,
Europe and North and South America with an R&D expenditure of
more than $700 million in 2011.
The company seeks to be the partner of choice in the innovation
community and recently launched its new Open Innovation website
(http://www.kfcollaborationkitchen.com) for prospective partners to
see how partnering with Kraft Foods means access to talented
people, terrific brands and superior quality.
About Kraft Foods
Kraft Foods Inc. (NYSE: KFT) is a global snacks powerhouse with
an unrivaled portfolio of brands people love. Proudly marketing
delicious biscuits, confectionery, beverages, cheese, grocery
products and convenient meals in approximately 170 countries, Kraft
Foods had 2011 revenue of $54.4
billion. Twelve of the company's iconic brands –
Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell
House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo,
Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Tang and
Trident – generate revenue of more than $1 billion annually. On Aug. 4, 2011, Kraft Foods announced plans to
divide and create two independent public companies: a high-growth
global snacks business and a high-margin North American grocery
business. The transaction is expected to be completed before the
end of 2012. A leader in innovation, marketing, health &
wellness and sustainability, Kraft Foods is a member of the Dow
Jones Industrial Average, Standard & Poor's 500, Dow Jones
Sustainability Index and Ethibel Sustainability Index. Visit
kraftfoodscompany.com and facebook.com/kraftfoodscorporate.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains a number of forward-looking
statements. Words, and variations of words such as "plans,"
"ensure" and similar expressions are intended to identify our
forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, business
momentum; research and development; our plans for two independent
public companies; timing of the spin-off; and expectations for
world-class innovation. These forward-looking statements are
subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are
beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ
materially from those indicated in our forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, our
failure to successfully separate the company, increased
competition, continued economic and consumer weakness and tax law
changes. Please also see our risk factors, as they may be
amended from time to time, set forth in our filings with the SEC,
including our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and
subsequent reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K. Kraft Foods
disclaims and does not undertake any obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statement in this press release, except as
required by applicable law or regulation.
– make today delicious –
SOURCE Kraft Foods