Since he is not chasing away plantation owners, Nestl has invested in coffee production and Dole in rice.

FORBES: The Ronald Reagan of the Pacific

Early this year Philip Morris' Kraft Foods bought the whey-packed Balance Bar, and its rival Nestl USA snapped up PowerBar.

FORBES: Making Whey

He also takes on the role of adviser during his clients' acquisitions, counseling Nestl in its bid for Perrier in 1992.

FORBES: Monsieur Big

Nestl and Danone belong in international Continental staples, while Diageo and Cadbury Schweppes are part of a separate group of big U.K.-based staples companies.

FORBES: One ratio does not fit all

Buying popular U.S. brands has long been a way for global companies to gain instant market share in the U.S. Examples: Swiss food giant Nestl bought Alpo, Stouffer's and Kit Kat.

FORBES: Name Game

It services hundreds of global firms, including Goldman Sachs, Visa and DHL. Infosys has developed switching software for Cisco, a factory management system for Nestl and an inventory tracking application for Nordstrom.

FORBES: Passage To India