The world’s biggest food and drink company has ousted its second CEO in just over a year.  

On Monday, Nestlé dismissed Laurent Freixe, its top boss since September 2024, following an investigation into a breach of its code of conduct.

Freixe has been dismissed as the company—which markets Gerber baby food, Purina pet meals, Nescafé coffee pods, and KitKat sweets—has trailed behind its competitors in terms of sales growth.

“This was a necessary decision,” commented Paul Bulcke, a board member involved in the investigation. “Nestlé’s values and governance are the strong foundations of our company. I thank Laurent for his years of service.”

Nestlé has held the title of the world’s largest food and beverage company by sales for the past decade.

In the US, Nestlé dominates grocery aisles with its grab-and-go products, particularly in the coffee, pet, baby, and candy sections. 

Nestlé — which also owns a fifth of beauty giant L’Oreal — has attempted to attract younger audiences with star-studded product endorsements. 

L’Oréal has enlisted high-profile celebrities like Kendall Jenner as ambassadors, utilizing her influence to strengthen campaigns such as ‘Because You’re Worth It’ and to engage with Gen Z consumers.

Laurent Freixe, the company’s top boss since September 2024, was removed from his role after an internal investigation

The Swiss giant employs hundreds of thousands globally and generated over $101.5 billion in sales in 2024, outpacing Pepsi’s $91 billion.

But sales have been slipping. 

In July, the company reported a 1.8 percent drop in global sales. The company also stated that its sugary and caffeinated products — which relied on higher-priced exports from Central America — were becoming more expensive to produce. 

Meanwhile, giant global competitors like Unilever and Danone posted significant increases in their sales and profits. 

Top bosses at Nestlé have been embroiled in several major controversies since 2020. 

Bulcke, who held the CEO position from 2008 to 2016, was at the center of a harassment lawsuit himself. 

A former internal food safety inspector, Yasmine Motarjemi, alleged that she warned the company about toxicity problems in baby foods. She alleged in court that the company retaliated against her for whistleblowing. 

In 2020, the company decided to pay her around $2.5 million in damages. 

Phil Navratil, the boss of a coffee division, will take over as the company’s next leader

Nestlé owns a 20 percent stake in L’Oreal – the companies have leaned heavily into celebrity endorsements, including a recent hair care ad campaign with Kendall Jenner

George Clooney has been a long-time celebrity spokesperson for the Nespresso coffee brand

‘What hypocrisy!’ Motarjemi said on LinkedIn after Monday’s ouster. 

‘In other words, at Nestlé, you can harass your subordinates, but you can’t love them.’  

Freixe’s expulsion also comes 13 months after he assumed the CEO role following the ouster of his predecessor, Mark Schneider, who led the company for seven years. 

Schneider had ruffled global political feathers as the top boss for his willingness to sell products in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

Phil Navratil, who began his career with Nestlé in 2001 as an internal auditor, will take over as the top boss.

After holding various commercial roles in Central America, he was appointed country manager for Nestlé Honduras in 2009.

He assumed leadership of the coffee and beverage business in Mexico in 2013 and transitioned to Nestlé’s Coffee strategic business unit in 2020.

He joined Nespresso in July 2024 and was appointed to the Nestlé executive board as of January 1 this year. 

‘I fully embrace the company’s strategic direction, as well as the action plan in place to drive Nestlé’s performance,’ Navratil said. 

The company didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Mail’s request for comment.