Nestlé has announced the opening of a new Research & Development centre (R&D) in Beijing, as well as a System Technology Hub in Shenzhen.
The company said that the move enables it to strengthen its presence in China, its second biggest market.
R&D Centre
Home to over 40 specialists and a number of state-of-the-art facilities, the new R&D centre will enable Nestlé to focus on developing new food and beverage products in order to meet fast-changing consumer demand in Asia.
The facility will also collaborate with local universities and innovation partners to accelerate trend-based innovation in China.
"We are strengthening our local R&D capabilities so that our teams can work faster and more efficiently to turn great ideas into the latest must-have products for consumers in China,” Nestlé chief executive Mark Schneider said at the opening event.
System Technology Hub
Due to its proximity to leading beverage machine and system manufacturers, the Shenzhen Systems Hub will enable the company to rapidly realise its new ideas and projects, it said.
Moreover, the collaboration with Chinese suppliers and partners will lead Nestlé to scout new technologies relevant for its beverage businesses.
Stefan Palzer, chief technology officer of Nestlé, said, "The proximity of the R&D team to the Nestlé China Headquarters and of the System Technology Hub to our suppliers and manufacturers will enable a strong collaboration that will help Nestlé push the boundaries by bringing breakthrough innovations to the market faster.”
The Chinese market, in which Nestlé has been present for over 30 years, employs about 43,000 staff.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Alessandra Arosio. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
