Nestle Lanka invests in new manufacturing facility

Jan 14, 2017 (LBO) -  Nestlé Lanka layed the foundation stone for a new manufacturing facility at its factory in Pannala, Kurunegala, as commitment to strengthen the local dairy and coconut industries. "Through this new investment, the company plans to expand its production capacity for its popular dairy and coconut based products, providing consumers with more goods that cater to local tastes and nutritional needs," the company said in a statement. President Maithripala Sirisena graced the foundation laying ceremony of the new facility as chief guest. Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, minister of Sustainable Development and Wildlife, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, minister of Disaster Management, Ravi Karunanayake, minister of Finance, P. Harrison, minister of Rural Economic Affairs and Heinz Walker-Nederkoorn, ambassador of Switzerland to Sri Lanka and Maldives attended the ceremony as Special Guests. Nestlé locally produces over 90 percent of the Nestlé products sold in the country today and exports to over 50 countries, driving both import substitution and expansion of exports. “We are committed to Sri Lanka and believe in the country’s growth potential.” said Shivani Hegde, managing director for Nestlé Lanka. “Our new investment reinforces our purpose of enhancing the quality of life of the people of Sri Lanka as it will empower the farmers we work with daily and uplift their lives.” To recognize the efforts made by Nestlé’s dairy and coconut farmers, a farmer felicitation was held in parallel to the foundation laying ceremony in the presence of over 200 Nestlé farmers. As Sri Lanka’s largest private sector collector of fresh milk, and one of the world’s largest exporters of coconut milk powder, Nestlé supports the livelihood of close to 27,000 local farmers and their families. Recently, the company launched a Coconut Development Programme in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Coconut Cultivation Board, and donated 10,000 coconut plantlets across 150 acres to 2,000 coconut farming families, and developed 2 model coconut farms to showcase best practices.