He added, however, it is necessary to 'permanently re-invent' to stay competitive.
As well as producing classic Nespresso capsules, the facility will take on production of Grands Crus for the VertuoLine machine, which was launched in the US and Canada last year to cater for a preference for large cup coffees.
The new Romont site is the third Nespresso production facility built in Switzerland since 2002. Other sites are located at Avenches and Orbe.
VertuoLine production
Romont will support the development of the Nespresso brand internationally, particularly in the US and Canada. In North America, Nespresso launched the VertuoLine system in March 2014, which gives consumers large cups of coffee rather than espressos.
The 14 Grands Crus for VertuoLine (which is available only in the US and Canada) will be manufactured in Romont from 2016.
The Romont site created 125 jobs, bringing the total number of Nespresso employees in Switzerland to more than 2,300.
It is the first production centre in Switzerland to obtain LEED Gold status (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Initiatives at the site include the use of 20% recycled construction materials, and an 18% decrease in energy consumption due to heat recovery from roasters, triple glazing, and LED lighting.
“Today, it is not simply the opening of another plant; we’re showing our trust in the Nespresso brand,” Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke said earlier today at the plant’s inauguration.
Tracking the company’s history in the coffee sector, he said: “It was by combining our coffee expertise with our know-how in capsules and machine technology that Nespresso was born.”
Nespresso Romont production centre
- Third Nespresso production centre in Switzerland: worldwide production in Switzerland
- Investment of CHF 300m
- Nespresso total investment in production facilities in Switzerland since 2002: CHF 1.1bn
- Total site area: 11 hectares (15 football fields)
- Building surface area: 21,000 m2
- Construction time: 2 years
- Building height: 40 metres
- 25,000 m3 of concrete, 35,000 m2 of façades, 500 km of electric cables, 70 km of pipes and ventilation ducts, 2400m of rails
“That was back in 1986, already 29 years ago. Today Nespresso plays a role in the daily life of millions of people.
Looking for opportunities
“To sustain this success, we must anticipate and meet constantly evolving needs. Taste preferences and lifestyles of consumers change, convenience becomes increasingly important, new markets open up.
“Therefore we must permanently reinvent ourselves. The arrival of new players on the coffee market adds to this. Competition keeps us young and innovative... It encourages us not to rest on our successes, but to anticipate and look for opportunities both tomorrow and in the future.”
Bulke continued to say the new facility also shows Nestle and Nespresso’s confidence in Switzerland and its commitment to the country.
Nespresso, which is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, operates in 62 countries.
