Nestle mulls divestment of vitamin brands after sales growth slows

Nestle (NESN.S) has launched a review of its underperforming vitamins business that could lead to the divestment of some brands, it said on Thursday, after reporting its first-half sales volumes grew more slowly than analysts expected.

Shares in Nestle, the world’s biggest food producer, fell to a six-month low in early market trade and were 4.7 per cent lower by 0950 GMT.

As the economic downturn globally has squeezed customers and driven them to cheaper alternatives, the Swiss-based maker of KitKat chocolate bars...