Nestlé invests $100 mln to expand production in Vietnam

Nestlé Vietnam on Tuesday announced an additional investment of $100 million in its Nestlé Tri An factory in the southern province of Dong Nai, bringing the factory’s total investment to over $500 million.

The additional investment will double the factory's capacity to meet the growing coffee demand, making Vietnam a high-value coffee production and supply center for the global and local markets.

Currently, coffee products produced at the Nestlé Tri An factory have been exported to more than 29 countries around the world. In addition, Nestlé is also the largest buyer of Vietnamese coffee, spending up to $700 million annually.

The project is a testament to Nestlé's commitment to long-term investment in Vietnam, said Binu Jacob, CEO of Nestlé Vietnam. When fully operational, the factory’s capacity will double to meet domestic consumption and exports, turning Vietnam into a supplier of high-value coffee for the world, he noted.

The project is expected to create more jobs and expand long-term investment activities in Vietnam, thereby contributing to the sustainable and thriving economic growth of the country, he added.

Sustainable coffee production is one of Nestlé's important directions in Vietnam, Jacob said, adding besides investing in production technology, the Nestlé Tri An factory places emphasis on sustainable development by using clean energy and biomass energy, and adopting a circular economy in waste management and water resources conservation.

As a result, the factory can cut 14,000 tonnes of carbon emissions per year during coffee processing. Meanwhile, 100% of coffee grounds are converted into biomass energy. Wastewater is processed, recycled, and reused for boilers, saving more than 112,000 cubic meters of water per year.

To improve Vietnamese coffee beans, Nestlé has implemented the NESCAFÉ Plan in the Central Highlands since 2011. The programme has brought positive solutions to promote the sustainable development of Vietnam's coffee industry, from distributing high-quality coffee saplings to implementing regenerative farming practices and saving water resources and biodiversity.

With its sustainable business strategy, Nestlé Vietnam creates nutritious products to improve the life quality of Vietnamese people, raise the value of Vietnamese coffee beans, and protect and regenerate resources for future generations, Jacob said.

To date, Nestlé has invested nearly $830 million in Vietnam, with four factories and two distribution centers. In Dong Nai province alone, the company has three factories, of which Nestlé Tri An is Nestlé's largest in Vietnam.

Currently, the factory produces familiar coffee brands such as NESCAFÉ, NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto, NESPRESSO, Starbucks and Blue Bottle.

Dong Nai province, an industrial hub in southern Vietnam, granted investment certificates to eight projects worth $373 million on Monday, the first wave of 2024.