Book excerpt: Among the world’s major multinational corporations, Nestlé is in a unique situation. While its presence is felt around the world and its products sell successfully, relatively little is known about its history, business practices and current corporate structure. In Nestlé: The Secrets of Food, Trust and Globalization, author Friedhelm Schwarz offers an insightful, informative history of one of the world’s largest multinationals—from the company’s formation in 1866 to the baby food scandal of the 1980s, from founding fathers to current CEO Helmut Maucher. Readers will learn about the company’s organization and business practices, its successful globalization, and its efforts to diversify. Discussions of genetically altered food, world hunger, and doing business in the third world are also included. Chapters include: - The Unknown Giant - Nestle’s World - A Corporate Recipe for Success - Leadership Philosophy - The Brands - The Future of Food and Nutrition - A Question of Taste With its objective, comprehensive approach, Nestlé stands as an important contribution to the business history genre.