In the company's message on Facebook, Nestle stated that it is suspending KitKat and Nesquik in Russia due to the aggression against Ukraine.
"We are suspending the development and presence of well-known Nestlé brands, including KitKat and Nesquik. We have already stopped importing and exporting non-critical products to and from Russia, stopped advertising and suspended all capital investments. Of course, we fully comply with all international sanctions against Russia," reported the company.
Nestle said it did not plan to "make any profit in Russia and accordingly will not pay taxes in Russia in the future".
However, the company will minimize activities in Russia - they will sell baby food and special medical food.
"Such activities are not aimed at making a profit. They support the principle of ensuring the right to food," Nestle explained, adding that "any profit will go to humanitarian aid".
The company stressed that it provides financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and its refugee citizens and will continue to do so.
On 17 March, the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, spoke with Nestle CEO Mark Schneider about the unethical nature of the company's work in Russia. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba stressed that Nestle's refusal to leave Russia causes long-term damage to the company's reputation, which is proportional to the massive scale of Moscow's war crimes in Ukraine.