Egypt factory investment as appetite for ice cream soars

Nestlé has invested CHF 26 million (200 million Egyptian pounds) to extend its ice cream factory in Egypt, one of the company’s biggest ice cream markets in the world.

INVESTMENT: A total of CHF 26 million for one of Nestlé’s biggest global markets for ice cream.

Nestlé began selling its products in Egypt over 100 years ago and the investment in new manufacturing lines will help meet growing demand for Nestlé and Dolce brands.

Demand for ice cream has also enabled Nestlé to create an additional new 200 jobs with this year’s investment.

High-tech ices

Nestlé’s ice cream factory is located some 30km from Cairo, at 6th of October City.

Ice creams produced there are distributed locally as well as being exported to north-east Africa – to countries including Jordan, Libya, Lebanon, and Tunisia.

The factory also produces the super-premium Mövenpick products, exported to Malaysia.

The investment at the ice cream factory also includes the introduction of some of the most advanced food production lines of any of Nestlé’s ice cream plants.

The factory extension was inaugurated this week in the presence of Mr Nandu Nandkishore, Executive Vice President Zone Asia, Oceania, Africa, Mr Roger Stettler, Senior Vice President Zone Asia, Oceania, Africa and Mr Suresh Narayanan, Market Head North East Africa Region.

Long-term presence

Further significant investments are planned in the coming years to develop the factory’s mixing, processing, chocolate coating and cone filling equipment.

Nestlé began to make ice cream in Egypt in 1988, when it acquired the Cairo-based Industrie Du Froid company and its Kimo ice cream brand.

Some seven years later, Nestlé acquired Dolce Co for Food Industries, based in 6th of October City. In 2001, it merged its ice cream manufacturing operations together.

Today, Nestlé Egypt has three factories and seven distribution centres, and employs more than 3,000 people.