FDBusiness.com

Nestle has officially inaugurated its new SFr200 million (Eur175 million) production unit at its nutrition factory complex at Konolfingen in Switzerland. The event marks the completion of a four year, SFr400 million total investment to create a world leading centre of excellence for specialised infant formulas and healthcare nutrition products.

Located in the canton of Berne, west-central Switzerland, the factory complex also includes a production unit for probiotic ingredients and a Product Technology Centre (PTC). The new unit will produce Nestle Nutrition probiotic infant formulas for export to more than 80 countries around the world, as well as healthcare nutrition products for the recently established Nestle Health Science business.

The Konolfingen site also produces infant formula capsules for BabyNes, the premium nutrition system for babies launched by Nestle in May 2011, for sale exclusively in Switzerland.

Nestle Nutrition is a global business with the Nestle Group, covering infant nutrition, performance nutrition and weight management. With a product portfolio of more than 30 worldwide brands, it had sales of SFr7.7 billion in 2010.

Nestle Health Science began operating in January 2011. It was announced in September 2010, along with the Nestle Institute of Health Sciences, with a focus on personalised nutrition and related services. It builds on the group’s existing global Nestle HealthCare Nutrition business, which has a long established reputation for its science-based products and services.