Nestlé, Coca-Cola and Yili Top World’s Most Valuable Brands
Nestlé remains the world’s most valuable food brand, Lindt is a name to watch and Coca-Cola is the world’s most valuable non-alcoholic drinks brand globally – all according to a new valuation by Brand Finance.
Brand Finance is a global brand valuation consultancy based in London. “Bridging the gap between marketing and finance, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organizations make strategic decisions,” they explain.
The firm has been doing this valuation of the world’s leading food & beverage brands for 11 years, conducting original market research annually on 6,000 brands and surveying more than 175,000 respondents across 41 countries and 31 industry sectors. They figure the collective value of the world’s top 100 food brands stands at $250.8 billion in 2025.
Despite experiencing a small decline in brand value, down 4% from 2024, the Nestlé brand was tops for the 10th year in a row. Its brand value is $20.0 billion, more than $7.0 billion greater than the second most valuable food brand, Lay’s (with a brand value of $12.7 billion). Including the other brands it owns (Stouffer’s, Carnation, Purina, etc.) Nestlé also holds the top spot as the most valuable food portfolio of brands, with its wider portfolio valued at $65.4 billion.
Nestlé has strong consumer familiarity (9.7), understanding (7.6), and credibility (7.4), but lower engagement (5.8), preference (6.3) and, notably, price acceptance (6.3), all on a scale of 10. “These scores underline the challenge Nestlé faces: maintaining its premium pricing position without alienating price-sensitive consumers” Brand Finance said.
McCormick was the "strongest" North American brand, in fifth place with a score of 89.6; strength is scored on evaluations of marketing investment, stakeholder equity and business performance.
But the report called out Swiss chocolate brand Lindt (up 14% to $4.9 billion), which ranked among the top 10 most valuable food brands globally and the top six strongest food brands. Brand Finance says Lindt achieves a perfect 10 out of 10 score for price acceptance in core markets, including Germany, France, Spain, the UK and Switzerland, “showcasing its ability to command a price premium and defend margins.”
Coca-Cola (brand value up 32% to $46.3 billion) is the most valuable non-alcoholic drinks brand for the 11th year running. Its brand value is now more than double that of runner up, Pepsi (brand value up 12% to $22.5 billion). Coca-Cola is also the strongest among the top 50 non-alcoholic drinks brands, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 93.4 out of 100.
Chinese dairy Yili maintains its position as the world’s most valuable dairy brand, with a brand value of $11.2 billion. Finnish dairy cooperative Valio has emerged as the strongest dairy brand and is the strongest European brand across all sectors in 2025, with a BSI score of 96.3 out of 100.
About the Author
Dave Fusaro
Editor in Chief
Dave Fusaro has served as editor in chief of Food Processing magazine since 2003. Dave has 30 years experience in food & beverage industry journalism and has won several national ASBPE writing awards for his Food Processing stories. Dave has been interviewed on CNN, quoted in national newspapers and he authored a 200-page market research report on the milk industry. Formerly an award-winning newspaper reporter who specialized in business writing, he holds a BA in journalism from Marquette University. Prior to joining Food Processing, Dave was Editor-In-Chief of Dairy Foods and was Managing Editor of Prepared Foods.