Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • Newsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!

TECH FLASH

Ranking the largest food companies

The Global Access to Nutrition Index rates the companies based on their efforts to tackle obesity and undernutrition.

By Jeremy Gerrard
January 25, 2016

It’s no secret much of the world has a problem with either obesity or undernutrition. While many of the world’s biggest players in the food and beverage industry have made strides in improving consumers’ diets by reformulating recipes, swapping out ingredients and launching general wellness programs, a new report shows the industry still has a long way to go.

The Access to Nutrition Index (ATNI) is based on the premise that companies can, and must, work alongside governments, international organizations and civil society to address undernutrition and obesity. Analysts say this can be done by producing healthier foods, making them more affordable and accessible and influencing consumer choice by marketing and labeling products more responsibly.

“Given the global reach of their products, food and beverage companies have a critical role to play in tackling the growing global health crisis caused by poor nutrition,” says Inge Kauer, executive director of the Access to Nutrition Foundation, the not-for-profit organization that develops and publishes the index. “While companies have a social responsibility to tackle global nutrition challenges, doing so also presents a business opportunity as consumers worldwide demand healthier foods.”

The recently released 2016 Global Index evaluated each of the companies based on its:

-Corporate strategy, management and governance related to nutrition

-Formulation and delivery of appropriate, affordable and accessible products

-Positive influence on consumer choice and behavior through nutrition information, food marketing and labeling.

The index concluded that, while some companies have taken positive steps, the industry as a whole is moving far too slowly. Out of a possible score of 10,  no company achieved more than 6.4 for their nutrition-related commitments, practices and levels of disclosure.

Unilever, Nestlé and Danone lead the list, having done more than the others to integrate nutrition into their business models, produce healthier products and ensure affordable pricing and wider distribution of healthier products in emerging markets.

Mars and FrieslandCampina are the most improved according to the index. Mars rose from 16th to 5th place and FrieslandCampina from 19th to 8th since the  2013 index.

The report recommended companies adopt stronger nutrition strategies and policies, using robust systems to measure the nutritional value of all their products, tracking the proportion of revenues generated by healthier products, strengthening food labeling to help consumers identify healthier options and marketing more responsibly to children.

It also advises addressing the serious problem of undernutrition in lower-income countries. As many companies have goals to expand their businesses in emerging economies, they must work with governments and civil society to find innovative ways to provide affordable, accessible, nutritious foods for poorer people. Only four of the companies were found to be producing specially fortified products targeting undernourished consumer groups in low-income countries.

KEYWORDS: food and beverage industry trends food and beverage manufacturing food processing industry

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Jeremy Gerrard was Food Engineering's Digital/Online Editor. He is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in journalism. His previous work experience includes years spent as a reporter with the Daily Local News out of Chester County, PA. In addition to writing feature articles for Food Engineering, Jeremy covered the Dry Processing, Field Reports and People and Industry news sections.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • 2025 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies

    FOOD ENGINEERING’s 2025 Top 100 Food and Beverage Companies

    While sales were largely down under dynamic economic and...
    Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
    By: Alyse Thompson-Richards
  • Bottling machine

    How Optical and X-Ray Inspection Supports Bottling Safety and Quality

    By transitioning from legacy single-technology systems to...
    Food Safety
    By: Dan McKee
  • Bread baking in oven

    The State of Food Manufacturing in 2025

    Food and beverage manufacturers are investing in...
    State of Food Manufacturing
    By: Alyse Thompson-Richards
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • Newsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

The Campbell's Company logo

Campbell’s Terminates Exec Over Alleged Disparaging Comments

Frito-Lay logo

PepsiCo to Close Two Florida Facilities

alternative protein products

Alternative Protein in 2025: Key Trends and Technologies

State of Maufacturing 2025

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

July 23, 2025

Decarbonizing Process Heat: What You Should Know and Next Steps

On Demand Driven by climate goals, business risk, client interest, and resilience considerations, food and beverage companies are increasingly turning their attention to decarbonizing their production processes.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Related Articles

  • Global dairy processors ranking reveals shrinking market

    Global dairy processors ranking reveals shrinking market

    See More
  • Canada, Ireland and France top global food safety ranking

    See More
  • Interpol seizes largest haul of fake food and beverages

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • food crime.jpg

    Food Crime: An Introduction to Deviance in the Food Industry

  • statical.jpg

    Statistical Process Control for the Food Industry: A Guide for Practitioners and Managers

  • The-Food-Business-Toolkit-Cover.jpg

    The Food Business Toolkit for Entrepreneurs (ebook)

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing