Our history begins in 1866, with the foundation of the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk

Company. Henri Nestlé develops a breakthrough infant food in 1867, and in 1905 the
company he founded merges with Anglo-Swiss, to form what is now known as the
Nestlé Group. During this period cities grow and railways and steamships bring down
commodity costs, spurring international trade in consumer goods.

Highlights

1866

US brothers Charles and George Page help establish Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk
Company. Using abundant supplies of fresh milk in Switzerland, they apply
knowledge gained in their homeland to establish Europe’s first production facility for
condensed milk in Cham. They start supplying Europe’s industrial towns with the
product under the Milkmaid brand, marketing it as a safe, long-life alternative to fresh
milk.

1867
Nestlé’s founder, German-born pharmacist Henri Nestlé, launches his ‘farine lactée’
(‘flour with milk’) in Vevey, Switzerland. It combines cow’s milk, wheat flour and
sugar, and Nestlé develops it for consumption by infants who cannot be breastfed, to
tackle high mortality rates. Around this time he starts using the now iconic ‘Nest’
logo.

1875

Henri Nestlé sells his company and factory in Vevey to three local businessmen.
They employ chemists and skilled workers to help expand production and sales.

1878
Fierce competition develops between Nestlé and Anglo-Swiss, when both
companies start selling rival versions of the other’s original products: condensed milk
and infant cereal. Both firms expand sales and production abroad.

1882-1902

In
1882 Anglo-Swiss expands into the US, but the death of George Page frustrates its
plans. In 1902 it sells its US-based operations, which paves the way for an eventual
merger with Nestlé.

1904
Nestlé begins selling chocolate for the first time when it takes over export sales for
Peter & Kohler. The Nestlé company also plays a role in the development of milk
chocolate from 1875, when it supplies his Vevey neighbour Daniel Peter with
condensed milk, which Peter uses to develop the first such commercial product in
the 1880s.