Nestlé Mexico has announced plans to invest US$700 million in building a new coffee processing plant in Veracruz and modernising 16 existing sites in Mexico.
The Swiss-based food giant says the investment will increase productivity, improve processes, and expand productive capacity. It will generate 400 direct and 4000 indirect jobs in Mexico.
“From the beginning, innovation has been a key piece in maintaining our leadership in nutrition, health, and welfare. The guiding axis of our decisions is to innovate, to fulfill our purpose of improving the quality of life and contributing to a healthier future,” says Laurent Freixe, CEO of Nestlé for the Americas Zone, translated form Spanish.
“Therefore, we have focused our efforts on building a solid and sustainable innovation ecosystem, which allows us to continue exploring new technologies, production processes, and business models for the benefit of the health of our consumers.”
Construction of the Veracruz plant was first announced in December 2019. In its first phase, the factory will employ 250 people directly and generate a further 2500 indirect jobs. Nestlé says it has the potential to provide 1200 and 12,000 indirect jobs at the end of its expansion. The factory will process 20,000 tons of green coffee annually and will operate under a system of operational management meeting global quality and safety standards.
The factory will implement technologies for the processing of coffee and the reduction of water and energy consumption. These include treatment and reuse of water, use of coffee waste to produce energy, and use of renewable electricity.
Nestlé Mexico was also selected to host the New Information Technology Center of its Americas Zone. Nestlé says this means that Mexico will play a part in the digital transformation of the company.