As part of its efforts to make good nutrition affordable and accessible to those who need it most, Nestlé is introducing Bear Brand Milk N’ Soy, a powdered milk and soy drink for school-age children, in the Philippines.
Nearly three billion people globally cannot afford a healthy diet 1, and many do not have access to good nutrition. Because school-age children are in a phase of significant growth and mental development, they need a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes proteins, vitamins and minerals from sources such as grains, vegetables, fruits and dairy. In the Philippines, undernutrition in school-age children remains a significant public health issue. Nestlé aims to help tackle the problem with Bear Brand Milk N’ Soy, which combines the goodness of milk with the affordability of high-quality plant proteins, such as those from soy.
“We have created Bear Brand Milk N’ Soy to meet the specific nutritional requirements and taste preferences of school-age children and have made it affordable for Filipino households,” said Serena Aboutboul, Head of the Nutrition Strategic Business Unit. “This great-tasting new drink further expands the trusted Bear Brand range in the Philippines, which already delivers millions of servings of micronutrient-fortified milk drinks to children each day. We believe that there is significant growth potential in expanding the benefits of Bear Brand to older children in their school-going years.”
Milk is an important source of nutrients like protein, calcium and vitamins, while soy provides high-quality protein with essential amino acids, healthy fats, fibers and other nutrients.
Isabelle Bureau-Franz, Head of Nestlé R&D for Nutrition, explained, “Soy proteins are not as soluble as dairy proteins and present a beany flavor and gritty texture when combined with milk. However, our innovative enzyme-based technology enables us to seamlessly blend both dairy and plant proteins, resulting in nutritious and affordable beverages with an excellent taste and a smooth, creamy texture.”
Similar products for school-age children have already been rolled out in Nigeria under the Nido brand and are now being expanded across Asia, other parts of Africa and Latin America.
1 According to a 2022 study by the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. In Brief to The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2022.
