The factory employs 340 people from 20 countries, 60% of whom are under 30.
Nestlé has invested 530m dirhams ($144m) in the site, which joins two other factories in Dubai Investment Park (one for Nestle Waters and another – Nestlé Dubai Manufacturing – which produces KitKat, Mackintosh Quality Street and Nido).
Economic platform
Marco Settembri, executive vice president Nestlé SA and head of zone Europe, Middle East and North Africa, said: “The Al-Maha factory underlines our commitment to our customers, our willingness to invest and create jobs, and our ambition to minimize our environmental impact.”
“This investment is another milestone in our more than 80 years in this region, and shows our confidence in Dubai and the United Arab Emirates as a dynamic, stable and competitive business hub, and our long-term commitment to the people of the Middle East.”
Yves Manghardt, chairman and CEO Nestlé Middle East FZE, added: “Manufacturing locally enables us to source locally, invest locally, make tailored products to better meet local needs, and serve communities in the region more rapidly and more effectively.”
Nestlé Al-Maha holds the Halal certification of the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA). The factory runs on 100% LED lighting, which consumes nominal energy, and is fully insulated to save air-conditioning energy.
It also recycles 100% of waste from products and raw materials, reaching zero waste for landfill, implements water saving mechanisms, and has an ambition to operate on solar-generated power.
Nestlé Middle East owns and operates 18 factories and provides direct employment to more than 11,000 people and indirect employment to several thousand more.
The Nestlé portfolio in the region includes 60 brands covering dairy products and infant nutrition, bottled water, chocolate and confectionery, coffee creamers, breakfast cereals, and culinary products. The brands include Nescafé, Coffeemate, Nestlé Pure Life, and Nespresso.