Nestlé expands plant in Turkey to boost exports

BURSA – Hürriyet Daily News

Nestlé has expanded a plant in Bursa to produce bouillon products.

Nestlé has expanded a plant in Turkey’s northwestern province of Karacabey in Bursa to produce Maggi bouillon products for the North African and the Middle Eastern markets, with a focus on Saudi Arabia.

The company has invested 22 million Turkish Liras (around $11 million) in a multiple plant in Karacabey to build two additional production facilities, creating 100 new jobs in addition to its existing 3,800-strong workforce. “Turkey is one of the fastest growing and most dynamic markets in Asia, Oceania and Africa,” said Nestlé executive VP Nandu Nandkishore, adding that the Karacabey plant had become a regional production base in the meantime.

While the annual consumption of bouillon per capita is just around 30 grams in Turkey, it is up to 225 grams in the target markets of the plant, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Qatar.

Nestlé has made around 100 million Turkish Liras of investment in Turkey annually for the last five years, said Nestlé Turkey General Manager and Chairman, Reinhold Jacobi, adding that the company exports many products from the Karacabey plant to over 30 countries globally.

The Maggi production lines will use the latest technology to produce 1,200 packages a minute, generating a total of 7,300 tons of bouillon annually from 2014. Nestlé opened a breakfast cereal factory in Karacabey with General Mills in 2012.