Nestlé to Expand India Operations

Nestlé will set up a INR2300m ($50m) research and development facility in the Indian state of Haryana to localise its product portfolio across culinary, cereals, beverages and dairy products.

The confectionery giant, which is also looking to invest INR10bn ($219m) to scale-up manufacturing capacities, said the facility is expected to be operational by July 2012.

In addition, Nestlé India chairman and managing director Helio Waszyk said his company is investing INR3.5bn ($76m) in a manufacturing plant in Karnataka to produce the Maggi range of food products and another INR5.5bn ($120m) would be put into a new plant to produce infant foods.

Nestlé expects emerging markets to account for 45% of overall sales by 2020.

Nestlé India’s sales last year stood at INR52.2bn ($1.14bn), or 1% of overall sales of $108bn.