This came out of nowhere, but looking more into Gore, I figured, this was a bit of a longshot, but butterfly effect and changing time stuff.
Nestlé Knocked Down
"When I heard Gore was going after, wasn't sure what to expect... not this at all..."
"Good freaking lord, Nestlé is the new Exxon-Mobil..."
"Wonder how Gore will deal with this..."
Nestlé was no stranger to controversy, due to its aggressive pushing of its baby formula that led to a boycott decades ago, but no one thought they would be investigated once more. Until now. Earlier on, during a review of his promises, he noted on his promises to expand American markets and doing so by adhering to Fair trade. As such, he began promoting Fair trade and working to try increase the availability and practice. He also began looking into companies with spotty records or troublesome actions and he found Nestlé. While not an American company, Gore knew that they still had to abide by rules. What the investigations turned up was disturbing. Besides the aforementioned baby formula matters, the horrific child labor conditions from their areas producing chocolate and the recent controversy with Nestlé on bottled water. Unsurprisingly, the reveal of such investigations sunk its fangs into a populace more jaded with corporate practices and whipped them into another surge of public outrage though this time, Al Gore brought this to the global stage and noted how many companies Nestlé bought over the years to expand the financial capabilities of their reach. Unlike Exxon-Mobil though, the company was not based in the United States, but in Switzerland. Nonetheless, the Gore Administration brought this up to the Swiss and the two nations agreed on collaborating to deal with the matter.
While the point was to try and raise Fair Trade, the investigation grew into something much greater and one that would see the Swiss company forever changed. There were greater campaigns to boycott Nestlé products, but upon seeing the expansive reach of the nation, they became joined with calls to try and break up the company.
Using his newfound poltical points, Gore worked to try and begin a process of standardizing "Fair Trade" products, working with companies willing to do so and even raising the potential for subsidies. However, he also did this with an emphasis on domestic products.
This was best seen in how a surprising detour regarding the "Nestlé decline" invovled the Gore Administration visiting Hershey's. The company had its own problems, but the main issue rested in their lack of commitment to Fair Trade and failing to meet the quotas. The company was pressured via the public and the government to adhere to stricter measures. After all, Hershey's was an American coproration and many patriotic Americans could not stand by and let a homegrown company engage in such actions. It was a message that Gore psuhed forward and was rewarded with as people went and ran with it. The lack of progress toward their commitment made in 2001 by the deadline added to it and thus Hershey's was set out to become fully Fair Trade by 2010 and they began working in efforts across to try and find ways to do so, including potential ways to try and grow them closer to home. Plans for growth in Mexico and the Caribbean were also considered. However, there was still a Damcoles' sword hanging above the financial executives and the next few years would be very closely watched for the American chocolate company. Hershey's newfound commitment did also give a blow to Nestlé since when Hershey's would be finished, their commitment to Fair Trade chocolate would mean people would be more apt to eating it or local products over Nestlé chocolate products.
More and more nations began joining, as pundits and people pressured their governments to stand up to large corporations. Opportunists from across the spectrum lept at the opportunity. An odd coalition of natioalist sentiment, green party activists and other groups who would not associate with each other normally worked to take advantage of it, namely on trying to divide Nestlé up. Partially through reversing some of the acquisations the company has made over the years as well as possibly dividng the company up afterwards. It would be several months, but the issue served as a good focal point and somewhat distraction. Eventually, deals were made and while the process would take over a year to be fully achieved, milestones were made:
- Nestlé would lose all their rights to the areas for their bottled water ambitions, though this was a mix of legal procedures, growing backlashes against bottled water being sold and the various state politicians and associated being pressured. Other water bottling corporations were not targetted, but the closer scrutiny have led to them worrying. Additionally, social media had been spreading to proclaim the problems of single-servings of waters and the preference of reusing bottles or other materials, signaling a likely twilight to the water bottling industry. While the cases of emergancy water supplies, have been touted, they were just that, emergancies. Additionally, large reusable water jugs were still considered while others tried finding fully recyclable water sources, with some speculating cartons.
- Nestlé would be subjected to stricter regulations and rules over the marketing of their baby formula alternates, especially in lower-developed nations.
- Nestlé would be forced to spin-off various acquistioned companies from the last few decades, including but not limited to: Carnation (would be an independent American company though rumors of Organic Valley merger), Rowntree Mackintosh (would become purchased by Cadbury under the stipulations of Fair Trade), Chef America and several others. Various companies would either be purchased by larger companies of their country of origin or succesfully stand alone.
- Nestlé would be unable to make acquisations past a certain amount for five years (though any deals in the making or planned were withdrawn in the early months of the debacle anyway.)
Additionally, Nestlé would be forced to try and work their items up to Fair Trade over the next years or so or risk losing large chunks of business within the United States and, as part of prior arrangements and shared public outcry, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and some nations of South America (Brazil remains on the fence though talks between the US and Brazil's presidents over Fair Trade enviromentally friendly chocolate practices have led to leniance toward cutting ties with Nestle should they not raise standards.)
Nestlé would survive this, especially after sackings and resignations of much of the top brass down the line. They would go back to basics, focusing on dairy products as well as infant nutrition, though they have become the first major cooperation to be knocked down. It was a surprising and stunning blow over to the corporate giant and many people felt a sense of vindication yet anxiety. How much of what they had possessed a deep undercurrent of darkness? Already, social media has taken to buzz as small organizations and groups have found themselves with growing clout and influence, which they unhesitantly use on spreading information on other large companies.
While most people returned to their daily lives, a sense that a form of justice was accomplished, there remained the renewed bitterness at larger companies, the chance for new politicians to try and do so something and the accomplishment that Gore had taken a large step toward increasing the availability of Fair Trade domestically and renewing talks of more American products in the European and Japanese markets.