Military Audit: Nestle

Direct Defence Contracting & Procurement

Nestlé’s wholly-owned subsidiary Osem (Osem-Nestlé) made documented direct wartime donations of food and welfare supplies to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) following October 7, 2023. On October 15, 2023, Osem publicly pledged to “strengthen the IDF” and on October 19, 2023, delivered food and care packages directly to IDF bases in the north and south of Israel, with deliveries channelled through the Association for the Soldier (the IDF’s recognised soldier-welfare body) ¹. Osem-manufactured products also feature in the standard IDF “Manot Krav” combat ration issued to soldiers in the field ². This evidence reflects logistical and welfare support by a wholly-owned subsidiary, not weapons supply and not a formal IDF supply contract.

No formal IDF supply contract between Osem or Nestlé and the Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMOD), Israel Prison Service, or Israel Border Police has been verified, and Osem does not appear under NATO stock numbers or in SIBAT defence export directories, SIPRI arms transfer databases, or Israeli government procurement portals (mr.gov.il) ³⁴. The Israeli institutional catering landscape shows that IDF catering is handled by specialized contractors including Schulz Group (Shultz Quality Catering), ISS Catering Services Ltd., and Sodexo - not by food manufacturers such as Osem ⁵. No public evidence identified for any such formal supply contract, NATO stock number listing, or Prison Service supply relationship.

Dual-Use Products & Tactical Variants

No evidence has been identified of Nestlé manufacturing or marketing ruggedised, tactical, mil-spec, or defence-grade variants of its food or beverage products ³⁴. No export licence applications have been identified in any jurisdiction relating to Nestlé products destined for Israeli military or security end-users ⁴.

Heavy Machinery, Construction & Infrastructure

This domain is not applicable to Nestlé’s core business, as Nestlé is a food, beverage, nutrition, and pet care conglomerate - not a manufacturer of heavy machinery or construction equipment ⁴. No evidence has been found of Nestlé-branded equipment documented in NGO or UN reports in connection with settlement construction, separation barrier maintenance, checkpoint installation, or demolition activities in the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem, or Golan Heights ⁶⁷.

Supply Chain Integration with Defence Primes

No verified supply relationships have been identified between Nestlé or Osem and Israeli defence prime contractors including Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, or IMI Systems ⁴. Osem is a client of G1 Secure Solutions (formerly G4S Israel), a security company that provides services to businesses in Atarot Industrial Zone and multiple West Bank settlements ⁸. The scope of G1’s services to Osem - whether at facilities in pre-1967 Israel or Atarot - is not specified in available sources. The PAX “Companies Arming Israel” report from June 2024 contains no reference to Nestlé or Osem, as the report focuses on weapons manufacturers and their financiers ⁴.

Logistical Sustainment & Base Services

No verified contracts have been identified for Nestlé or Osem to provide catering, transport, logistics, facilities management, waste handling, or other support services to IDF bases, military training facilities, detention centres, or Border Police installations ⁵. The documented support is instead voluntary wartime donation: in October 2023 Osem delivered food and care packages directly to IDF bases in the north and south, routed via the Association for the Soldier, and Osem products appear in the IDF “Manot Krav” combat ration ¹². This is welfare/logistical support by a wholly-owned subsidiary rather than a contracted military logistical-sustainment relationship; beyond these donations, Osem distributes products through ordinary retail and wholesale channels across Israel ⁴.

Munitions, Weapons Systems & Strategic Platforms

No evidence has been found of any Nestlé role - as prime contractor, sub-contractor, component supplier, or licensed manufacturer - in connection with lethal platforms, munitions programmes, or strategic weapons systems ⁴. Nestlé does not appear in SIPRI’s arms production indices or manufacturing databases ⁴.

Export Licensing, Regulatory & Legal History

No export licence decisions have been identified in any jurisdiction relating to Nestlé’s supply to Israeli military or security end-users ⁴. No enforcement actions have been identified relating to Nestlé’s compliance with arms embargoes, export control regimes, EU Dual-Use Regulation, US EAR, or ITAR in the context of Israeli defence trade ⁴. No court proceedings have been identified regarding Nestlé’s defence supply relationship with Israel ⁴.

Civil Society Scrutiny & Documented Investigations

Osem Group operates in Israel with manufacturing facilities in Kiryat Gat, Petah Tikva, Holon, Bnei Brak, Ramla, Yokneam, Sderot, and Shoham - all located in pre-1967 Israel ⁹¹⁰. Nestlé owns 100% of Osem since 2016, confirmed via Nestlé investor relations ³. Osem acquired 49% of Beit Hashita-Assis Food Industries in 2025, a manufacturer of pickled vegetables, sauces, and jams employing 180 workers ¹¹. Nestlé temporarily shut down one production plant in Israel in October 2023 as a precautionary measure during conflict onset; operations resumed shortly after ¹². Nestlé acknowledged boycott impact, with CEO Mark Schneider noting “hesitancy among consumers and preference for local brands” in the Middle East since October 2023, and sales declined 1.8% in 2024 ¹³¹⁴. Nestlé Israel continued operations post-2024, with Osem’s revenue rising 9% in Q3 2024 and multiple price increases implemented ¹⁵. The BDS Movement targets Nestlé citing Nestlé’s majority ownership of Osem Group and Osem’s operations in Israeli-occupied territory, though the campaign grounds are settlement commerce rather than military supply ¹⁶. The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global (GPFG) holds a substantial Nestlé stake (approximately NOK 17bn), and the fund has divested from Israeli companies Paz Retail (May 2025) and Bezeq (December 2024) for settlement activities but has not divested from Nestlé ¹⁷¹⁸¹⁹. The UN OHCHR Settlement Database, including 2020, 2023, and 2025 updates, confirms no Nestlé or Osem entries; the database focuses on construction, real estate, banking, security, and infrastructure rather than food manufacturing ⁶⁷²⁰. No Nestlé executives have been found with defence industry affiliations; board members (Pablo Isla, Paul Bulcke, u. Schneider, u. Freixe) show no links to Elbit, IAI, Rafael, or other Israeli defence primes ²¹. Nestlé is not listed among FIDF corporate donors for matching gifts programmes ²². G1 Secure Solutions (formerly G4S Israel) provides security services to businesses in Atarot Industrial Zone, settlement locations, and the Israeli Prison Service and Border Police - Osem is listed as a client ⁸. Nestlé USA does not have a matching gifts programme for employees ²³. Nestlé’s community giving sustainability programme focuses on general charitable activities rather than military-affiliated causes ²⁴.

End Notes