In 2017, Nestlé acquired the plant-based brand Sweet Earth, which had originally launched in the 1970s in Northern California as a small fresh-food company founded by Caren Hicks. The brand was well-known for its vegetarian meals before being taken over in 2011 by entrepreneurs Kelly and Brian Swette, who aimed to broaden its appeal as a mainstream plant-based company.
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Under the Swettes, Sweet Earth expanded its product line to include a variety of globally inspired vegetarian offerings such as frozen burritos and plant-based burgers, reaching over 10,000 stores in the U.S. By 2018, Sweet Earth’s Veggie Lovers Pizza was recognized by VegNews as one of the best new vegan products. In 2023, its Benevolent Bacon was voted the Best Vegan Bacon in the country, renowned for its taste.
However, in 2022, Nestlé began closing the California facility that produced Sweet Earth's meals, moving production to Ohio. By early 2023, the entire product line appeared to be discontinued, with Sweet Earth’s Instagram account gone and its website redirecting to Nestlé's homepage. Attempts by VegNews to get clarification from Nestlé about the brand's status went unanswered.
Sweet Earth is not alone in this trend; Nestlé has been shrinking its plant-based portfolio. In 2022, the company launched dairy-free KitKat bars, but by 2025, they were discontinued due to declining demand and manufacturing complexities. Other products like Cowabunga and Wunda, launched as animal-free dairy and pea-based milk brands respectively, have also ceased production.
Despite the reduction in offerings, Nestlé still produces several vegan products, including those from its Garden of Life brand, which features over 120 plant-based items like Raw Organic Protein and mykind Organics multivitamins.