In the first quarter of 2010, Nestlé registered CHF26.3 billion (€18.34 billion) in sales, as well as 6.5 per cent organic growth and 4.8 per cent real internal growth.

The organic growth of Nestlé food and beverages was 4.6 per cent in the Americas, 5.1 per cent in Europe and 11.2 per cent in Asia, Oceania and Africa. While the group's emerging markets achieved over 10 per cent organic growth providing affordable, nutritious products for emerging consumers, with a particularly strong performance in BRIC countries - Brazil, Russia, India and China - and a sustained contribution from the popularly positioned products, Western Europe and other developed markets' growth also accelerated with sales of CHF5.3 billion, 3.4 per cent organic growth and 2.3 per cent real internal growth.

A company statement said Nestlé first-quarter sales were in line with the group's expectations and confirmed it is capturing opportunities in different growth pillars, both in emerging and developed markets, even in a global economic environment which remains challenging.