Nestle has sold baby food brands Alete and Milasan to German investment firm BWK for an undisclosed sum.

Ownership of the brands will pass to BWK on 1 January. The Swiss food giant said it wanted its baby food business in Germany and Austria to focus on its Beba brand.

This year, the world's largest food manufacturer has sold assets including the PowerBar sports nutrition business as it trims its portfolio to ensure, as CEO Paul Bulcke said in April, it is "stronger and more profitable".

Baby food remains a sector of importance for Nestle. In 2012, the company paid US$11.85bn for Pfizer's infant nutrition business.

Nestle described Alete and Milasan as "major brands" in the German baby food sector and insisted it had "deliberately selected" BWK and private investor Horst Jostock as buyers.

"We will invest in both brands and so open up new segments and markets," Jostock said.

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BWK's portfolio includes packaging and machinery manufacturers. In 2012, it sold German baby food business Sunval to local dairy group DMK.

Jochen Wolf, MD at BWK, said: "We are convinced of the potential of the brands and think that our long-term investment approach fits well with Alete and Milasan."

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