Nestlé continues to invest in Brazil with new CHF 83 million beverage factory

Nestlé continues to invest in Brazil with the opening of a new CHF 83 million beverage factory in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

The factory, located in the city of Três Rios, will create more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs.

It is Nestlé’s 31st factory in Brazil and its third in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

In Rio, the company already has an ice cream factory in Jacarepaguá and a water bottling factory in Petrópolis.

Supplying four states

The new factory in Três Rios will supply Rio de Janeiro and the states of Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo and São Paulo.

Ivan Zurita, Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Brazil, joined Sérgio Cabral, State Governor of Rio de Janeiro, at the factory’s opening ceremony.

“The State of Rio de Janeiro is of increasing importance for us,” said Mr Zurita. “This factory will allow us to supply the market in Rio de Janeiro and the states of south east Brazil even more efficiently.”

Expanding production lines

Initially the new factory in Três Rios will produce UHT milk for Nestlé’s Ninho and Molico brands, and soy-based product Sollys.

It will start to produce Nescau ready-to-drink chocolate milk in 200ml and one litre formats in 2012.

Production lines for Nestlé Fast, a ready-to-drink beverage range sold under the brands Alpino, Nescau, Neston and Molico, will also be introduced next year.

When fully operational, the factory will have a total annual production capacity of 124,000 tonnes.

The factory will receive around 200,000 litres of milk per day from about 400 local farmers.

To ensure consistent quality, milk is tracked from the farm to its arrival at the factory.

“We aim to foster and strengthen the milk production potential of Rio de Janeiro,” continued Mr Zurita.

“This will increase farms’ competitiveness and profitability, leading to a better quality of life in these rural regions.”

Leading milk buyer

Nestlé is a major milk buyer in Brazil, purchasing 2.2 billion litres in 2010. Its supply network includes more than 40,000 direct and indirect milk producers.

In the state of Rio de Janeiro, the company provides technical assistance and advice to small dairy farms in partnership with the city’s Federal University.

Nestlé has also implemented various projects to help local farmers in collaboration with the state of Rio de Janeiro and the Municipality of Três Rios.