FDBusiness.com

Nestlé has laid the foundation stone for its first infant formula plant in Russia. The investment of SFr30 million (RUB1.8 billion, €26 million) means Nestlé can offer a greater variety of infant nutrition to consumers. The plant will be part of the existing Vologda site, where Nestlé has successfully operated for 14 years. It will strengthen Nestlé’s leading position in the Russian infant formula market, and support export to neighboring countries.

“The factory in Vologda is a strategic plant for Nestlé in Russia and CIS, the only factory producing Nestlé infant formula in the Russia and Eurasia region. This new factory will allow us to strengthen our leading position in the Russian infant formula market by developing our ability to supply both the domestic and the export markets,” comments Martial Rolland, chief executive of Nestlé in Russia and Eurasia.

The investment is in line with Nestlé’s strategy to increasingly focus capital spending on the high-growth food and beverage categories of coffee, petcare, infant nutrition and bottled water. The factory will be operational by 2019. It will use proven state-of-the-art equipment to meet the highest quality standards. It will also apply Nestlé’s principles on reducing environmental impact, aiming for zero waste.

In the last 20 years, Nestlé Russia has invested around SFr2 billion into the development of local production. The company owns eight factories in Russia.