Nestlé reaffirms presence in South East Asia with new investment

Nestlé is reaffirming its commitment to South East Asia by opening a new CHF 112 million (5 billion Philippine Pesos) manufacturing facility.

The new factory in the city of Tanauan, in Batangas province, produces Coffee-mate non-dairy creamer products to be distributed across the Philippines.

Nestlé also plans to produce Bear Brand powdered milk at the site in the future.

The company has created employment for nearly 150 people and aims to generate indirect jobs in the area.

‘Key market’

“The Philippines is a key market for Nestlé in the South East Asia region, the broader Asia region and worldwide,” said Nandu Nandkishore, Zone Head for Asia, Oceania, Africa and Middle East.

“The new investment has cemented and reaffirmed our confidence in the country.”

Mr Nandkishore was joined by Gregory Domingo, Trade and Industry Secretary, and Ivo Sieber, Swiss Ambassador for the Philippines, at the opening event.

John Miller, Nestlé Philippines Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and David Findlay, Technical Director for Nestlé Philippines, also attended.

Continued commitment

Nestlé’s new factory in Tanauan adds to the company’s recent investments in the South East Asia region.

Earlier this year, Nestlé invested in its research and development centre in Singapore.

In 2011 the company invested CHF 230 million in a new factory in Dong Nai province in Vietnam and CHF 98 million in its existing factories in Thailand.

In the same year Nestlé announced another CHF 100 million investment in its factory in Karawang, Indonesia.

It also announced an investment of CHF 35 million in a new breakfast cereals factory in Malaysia.

Energy saving

The factory in Tanauan is equipped with a number of systems for rainwater collection, the recovery and reuse of industrial wastewater and light saving energy.

Waste material at the factory will be converted into fertiliser and used for coffee farming.

The company has supported coffee farming in the Philippines since the 1960s, providing crops and training to help farmers to improve their harvests.

This is part of an approach to business Nestlé calls ‘Creating Shared Value’, which aims to create value for the company’s shareholders at the same time as for those communities where it operates.

Investing in the Philippines

In recent years Nestlé has invested more than CHF 360 million (16 billion Philippine Pesos) in the Philippines to expand existing factories and boost production capabilities.

“We have been committed to the Philippines for over 100 years,” said John Miller, Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO. “During this time we have made many investments. We continue to expand our existing operations as well as building exciting new facilities like the Tanauan factory.”

Nestlé in the Philippines

Nestlé and the Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company established its first sales office in 1911 in Calle Renta, Binondo, in the Philippine capital Manila.

Today the company has set up five manufacturing facilities in the country.

Nestlé employs more than 3,500 people in the Philippines and offers consumers brands such as Nescafé, Nido, Milo, Nestlé breakfast cereals and Nestlé ice cream.