NSTA Nestle (Reg)

RNS Number:8896C
Nestle SA
24 October 2002



                                 Press Release


                   Nestle:  Solid Six Percent Sales Increase
                           For the First Nine Months


*       Consolidated sales up 6 percent

*       Organic growth (at comparable structure and constant exchange
        rates) increases to 4.8 percent, better than in first half of 2002

*       Acquisitions add 8.5 percent - foreign exchange reduces sales in
        Swiss francs by 7.3 percent

*       Real internal growth 3.4 percent as a result of recession in South
        America

*       Peter Brabeck, CEO of Nestle: "Nestle succeeded in maintaining
        profitable growth despite a deteriorating economic climate. I remain 
        confident that we will yet grow our RIG figure by the end of the year 
        and that we will achieve sales and profits above those of 2001, while 
        once again delivering further improvement in operational performance."



Vevey, 24 October 2002  -  Consolidated sales of the Nestle Group reached CHF
66.2 billion during the first nine months of 2002, an increase of 6 percent over
the corresponding period of the preced-ing year, even though exchange rates had
a negative impact of 7.3 percent. In other words, at con-stant exchange rates
sales increased 13.3 percent. At comparable structure and at constant exchange
rates, sales grew 4.8 percent, composed of real internal growth of 3.4 percent
and price increases of 1.4 percent, which demonstrate the Group's commitment to
improve margins.




          Sales by Management Responsibilities and Geographic Area

                             Jan.-Sept.      Jan.-Sept.          Variation      Real Internal Growth
                               2002            2001                               Jan.-Sept. 2002
                                          in CHF billion                     %                    %

Total                        66.2              62.4              + 6.0               + 3.4
Food
*  Europe                    21.0              19.7              + 6.4               + 1.3
*  Americas                  21.4              18.9              + 12.8              + 2.4
*  Asia, Oceania and Africa  11.2              11.5              - 3.2               + 3.7
Nestle Waters                6.1               5.9               + 3.7               + 9.3
Other Activities *           6.6               6.4               + 3.5               + 7.1

All calculations based on non-rounded sales figures

*  Essentially pharmaceutical products, joint ventures and "Trinks" (Germany)




Real internal growth for the period January-September 2002 amounted to 3.4
percent. Nestle Waters and Alcon showed continued strong internal growth, with
9.3 and 8.1 percent respectively. Europe grew at 1.3 percent, the Americas
reached 2.4 percent and Asia, Oceania and Africa achieved growth of 3.7 percent.
Emerging markets, both in Europe and in Asia, continued to grow strongly. Thus,
in Eastern Europe, Nestle was able to grow at 11.6 percent (with the Russian
Federation achieving a RIG of 23.3 percent), mainland China showed 18.9 percent,
the Philippines 6.8 percent and Southern Asia 11 percent. Conversely, real
internal growth in Latin America felt the full impact of the deteriorat-ing
economic situation in several countries and was flat. North America, however,
achieved a RIG of 3.8 percent.


                                          Sales by Product Groups

                             Jan.-Sept.     Jan.-Sept.          Variation       Real Internal Growth
                               2002           2001                                Jan.-Sept. 2002
                                         in CHF billion                    %                     %

Beverages                    17.5             18.0              - 2.7               + 4.6
Milk/Nutrition               18.0             17.3              + 3.7               + 2.4
Culinary                     11.3             10.9              + 4.0               + 4.9
Petcare                      7.8              4.5               + 74.2              + 0.7
Chocolate/Confectionery      7.5              7.8               - 3.7               + 0.8
Pharma                       3.9              3.9               + 2.6               + 8.1
Total                        66.2             62.4              + 6.0               + 3.4

All calculations based on non-rounded sales figures



Several product groups achieved higher RIG in the course of the third quarter
than during the first half of the year 2002. This is the case for beverages,
culinary products as well as for chocolate and con-fectionery.



Price increases and other factors had a positive impact of 1.4 percent on sales.
As expected, foreign exchange rates reduced the consolidated sales in Swiss
francs by 7.3 percent, while acquisitions, net of divestments, contributed 8.5
percent to sales.





                                    Outlook



In spite of the notable deterioration of the economic climate in some parts of
the world, Nestle remains confident that it will be able to improve real
internal growth in the remaining three months of 2002. The Company also expects
to once again achieve higher Swiss franc sales and profits for the year as a
whole, in spite of the strong negative currency impact. It will also be able to
deliver a further improve-ment in operational performance. This confidence is
founded on the broad geographic spread of its business activities, its extensive
product range, as well as its experience in dealing with difficult market
conditions.







Contacts:



       Media:       Francois-Xavier Perroud     Tel.:     +41-21-924 2596
       Investors:   Roddy Child-Villiers        Tel.:     +41-21-924 3622




   The following services / events are listed on the Corporate Internet site:
                             http://www.nestle.com



 The 2002 January-September Sales are available on the Nestle Group's Investor
                    Relations site http://www.ir.nestle.com/



TELECONFERENCES:

0930 (CET) / 0830 (BST): European Analysts' Conference Call Live Audio
Broadcast, hosted by Mr. Wolfgang H. Reichenberger, Chief Financial Officer,
Nestle S.A.
Dial-in number: Tel.  +44 (0)208 240 8244 (listen only)



European phone-in replay: Tel.  +44 (0)208 288 4459 followed by the access code
323 672. This will be available from 10 minutes after the call until midnight
BST on Monday
28 October 2002.



1600 (CET) / 1000 (EDT): US Analysts' Conference Call Live Audio Broadcast,
hosted by Mr. Wolfgang H. Reichenberger
Dial-in number: Tel.  +1 (952) 556 2829 (listen only)



US phone-in replay: Tel.  +1 (703) 736 7336 followed by the access code 323 672.
This will be available from 10 minutes after the call until midnight EDT on
Monday 28 October 2002.





 Should you have any technical difficulties connecting to the conference calls,
                                 please contact
                       K. Hendrie at Macmaster + Company,

              Tel.  +44 (0)207 493 9500  or  +44 (0)207 493 9505.





You can follow both conference calls in audio with synchronized presentation at

      http://www.genesysrichmedia.com/nestle/24102002/enter.htm


To listen to the simultaneous audio broadcasts over the Internet, please access:

      http://www.vcall.com/EventPage.asp?ID=82545  (0930 CET Call)
or
      http://www.vcall.com/EventPage.asp?ID=82543  (1600 CET Call).


There is also a link at:

      http://www.ir.nestle.com/4_publications/4_4-frameset.asp?Nav=4

You can also download the PowerPoint presentation that will accompany the
conference calls from 0800 CET at:

      http://www.ir.nestle.com/4_publications/4_2-frameset.asp?Nav=2



                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END

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