What Is the Nestlé Logo?
The Nestlé logo is a nest on a branch in which a mother bird feeds two young birds, shown with the name Nestlé. Nestlé is the Swiss food and drink company based in Vevey; it traces its origins to 1866, when the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company was founded, and to 1867, when Henri Nestlé launched his infant cereal in Vevey. The two firms merged in 1905.
The nest with the wordmark is available as the Nestlé logo SVG.
Nestlé Logo Facts
| Introduced | 1868, on Henri Nestlé's infant cereal |
| Symbol | A mother bird feeding her young in a nest |
| Logo type | Combination mark: nest symbol and wordmark |
| Earlier mark | Henri Nestlé's family coat of arms: a single bird on a nest |
| Owner | Nestlé S.A. |
What the Nestlé Logo Means
The logo is a picture of the founder's name. Nestlé means "small nest" in German, and Henri Nestlé's family coat of arms already showed a bird sitting on a nest. He based his first trademark on those arms.
In 1868 he added baby birds being fed by their mother. That linked the family emblem to his infant cereal: a parent nourishing its young, on a product made to feed babies. Nestlé says the image also helped protect the product against imitators.
The colour carries the same idea. In 2018 Nestlé changed the logo from grey to oak brown, a shade it says matches the tree branch and gives the mark more warmth.
Nestlé Logo History
The nest mark was registered in Vevey in 1875 and protected from 1880. In 1938 Nestlé combined the lettering and the symbol into one mark meant to connect most of the group's products.
For the company's 100th anniversary in 1966 the combined mark was modernised and moved mainly to the sides and backs of packs, as a seal of tradition. In 1973 Nestlé adopted a universal logotype, based on the lettering of its chocolate brand, as the corporate logo.
In 1988 one of the young birds was removed to simplify the drawing, leaving the two seen in the logo, and the nest and the wordmark were separated and given equal weight. In 1995 the outline of the wordmark and several other details were removed, and separate lettering was introduced for categories such as milk, ice cream, confectionery and infant nutrition.
Ahead of Nestlé's 150th anniversary in 2016, the company stripped out more detail in 2015 so the logo would read well on smartphones and small screens, and gave the nest more prominence. The change to oak brown followed in 2018.
For more brands like Nestlé, browse our food and drink logos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is there a nest in the Nestlé logo?
Nestlé means "small nest" in German, and the nest comes from Henri Nestlé's family coat of arms, which showed a bird on a nest.
How many birds are in the Nestlé logo?
Three: a mother bird and two young. Henri Nestlé's 1868 version had three young birds; one was removed in 1988.
When did Nestlé add its name to the nest logo?
In 1938, when the lettering and the nest were combined into one mark for the group.
What colour is the Nestlé logo?
Oak brown, since 2018. Before that the logo was grey.