SWITZERLAND – Nespresso, a coffee brand owned by the Nestlé Group, has invested US$178m in expanding its Romont coffee manufacturing facility in Switzerland to meet the increasing demand for premium coffee.
According to a statement from Nestlé, work has already started at the site with the first new production lines expected to be fully operational by June 2022.
The Romont factory, inaugurated in 2015, is the center of production for Nespresso’s Vertuo coffees, now available in 24 countries across North America, Europe and Asia.
The new capital injection will see the addition of a second production hall at the facility, doubling the production capacity with ten new lines dedicated to Nespresso Vertuo and Professional coffee ranges.
Commitment to Swiss Roots
Over the past 10 years, Nespresso has invested CHF700 million (US$779 million) in its three Swiss-based production centers in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg, where sustainably grown coffee beans are transformed into high-quality coffees.
The last two years has particularly seen activity at Romont increase with Nespresso adding four new production lines and inaugurating a new Product Development Center and a Coffee Campus to fostering coffee innovation and expertise.
In line with the company’s sustainability goals, the added facilities will adopt a “zero waste to landfill,”that is already adopted by all the Nespresso production centers.
Speaking during the laying of the first stone, Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso said: “This foundation illustrates our Swiss and regional roots and symbolizes the continued success of Nespresso. It is a story that began in 1986, and it is with great joy that we write a new chapter today.”
Building with sustainability in mind
The expansion will also be based on the same LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) principles that have guided the construction of the Romont production center back in 2015.
LEED principles covers the energy and water efficiency of an industrial building in addition to weighing aspects such as employees’ health and well-being at the workplace and infrastructure for environmentally friendly mobility.
Some examples of the various initiatives carried out by Nespresso to meet the LEED requirements include the use of 20 percent recycled construction materials and an 18 percent decrease of the site’s energy consumption thanks to heat recovery from the roasters, triple glazing and the use of LED lighting.
Earlier, Nespresso’s sister brand Kitkat launched KitKat V, a new plant-based variant of its popular 5-finger chocolate.
The new vegan version of the iconic KitKat will be on shelves from mid-June in the United Kingdom, Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Plans are also underway to roll out the new variant in other countries, including Australia and Brazil.
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