Philipp Navratil begins Nestlé turnaround; says he drinks seven or eight coffees a day

Philipp Navratil, who became Nestlé’s chief executive in September, is leading a turnaround at the Swiss food giant from its Vevey headquarters and said in a Feb. 1, 2026 interview that he drinks “seven or eight” cups of coffee a day. Nestlé, a 160‑year‑old conglomerate and the world’s largest food company with around $120 billion in annual sales, sells brands in the United States such as Nespresso, Gerber, DiGiorno and Purina.

The company’s sales have been sluggish and its stock has shed roughly half its value from a 2022 peak, the interview notes. Mr. Navratil is the third chief executive in less than two years after Laurent Freixe was dismissed over an undisclosed relationship with a subordinate, a breach of the company’s code of conduct.

Nestlé has about 270,000 employees worldwide; Mr. Navratil has worked at the company for more than 20 years, including a stint on its board. He says he is taking a hard look at the portfolio and at operations: Nestlé has announced about 16,000 job cuts, and its water business, including Perrier and S.

Pellegrino, is “on the chopping block.” Mr. Navratil says the company will use A.I. to streamline layers, speed decision‑making, reduce stock and waste, and adapt its product portfolio for affordability. On coffee, Mr. Navratil cited climate risks — including data that without action 50 percent of coffee‑growing regions could be in danger — and said Nestlé is pursuing regenerative agriculture.

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