Nestlé and ingredients supplier DSM-Firmenich were the most active patent applicants among packaged-food and food ingredients companies in the year to the end of June, data shows.
From 1 July 2022 to 30 June this year, Nestlé sought approval for 570 patents, GlobalData, Just Food’s parent, suggests.
DSM-Firmenich, which supplies ingredients to companies in sectors including dairy, bakery and meat, had filed for 216 patents.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics database contains global figures on the patents filed – and granted – by businesses across multiple sectors. Each patent is classified by theme, including those linked to areas such as the environment or health and wellness.
Most of Nestlé’s patents – 386 – centred on “health and wellness”, GlobalData said. Some 63 were classified as being related to plant-based diets and included patents related to meat and seafood analogues.
Overall, the US was the location for most of the Swiss giant’s applications, with 117 lodged in the country.
Nestlé also had the most patent applications granted during the year to the end of June, with 242 given the green light. DSM-Firmenich were fourth on the list with 79. Danone was third with 98.
Each week, Just Food’s journalists analyse data on patent filings and grants that illustrate innovation trends in our sector. These patent signals show where the leading companies are focusing their research and development investment – and why. We uncover key innovation areas in the sector and the themes that drive them.
This new, thematic patents coverage is powered by our underlying Disruptor data, which tracks all major deals, patents, company filings, hiring patterns and social media buzz across our sectors.
