To follow the recent discussion on the Nestle Company:

Nestle's newest market seems to be the elderly.  I am a member of a
community council which advises our Board of County Commissioners on human
service matters.  At our last meeting, a presentation was given by the
director of the nutrition division of our Department of Social Services to
describe their new, innovative pilot program to provide food for the
elderly in our county.

The pilot program is in partnership with the Nestle Company.  I think it
was designed by the Nestle Company and our county was selected as a pilot
program.  My question at the meeting was, "What is in it for Nestle?"  The
answer was that if the program is successful in saving county dollars
(through cost avoidance), then the same program can be marketed nationwide
and Nestle will be there first.

The idea of the program will be to make 1 trip per week to the elderly
bringing the week's worth of food which will be stored in a freezer.  All
food needed for the week will be brought.  This replaces the current 1 or 2
meals brought individually each day to the elderly on the program, i.e.,
Replacing Meals on Wheels.

Another appealing idea to the county for the new program is that it would
be marketed and provided to private paying elderly folks as well as to the
elderly folks using county funds.  The private pays could take care of the
public pays if the volume is sufficient.

I have no doubt that a variety of Nestle products will be included in the
weekly food supply beyond the frozen meals.......elderly formula, candy, etc.

Knowing that Nestle has not always taken the ethical high road, I am
uncomfortable with this arrangement and will be watching it closely.  Those
in lactnet-land can be county-watching to see when the same thing (or
something similar) will appear in your own area.

Pardee Hinson, MPH, IBCLC
Charlotte, NC