Nestlé has inaugurated its first decaffeinated coffee bean production plant in Asia, with the opening of a new facility in southeastern Vietnam.
The new factory is the result of more than €76.5m, and will be used to decaffeinate green coffee beans for use as raw materials in Nestlé’s coffee factories around the world. The Swiss company claimed that the new facility, in the Dong Nai province, was necessary because of “rising consumer demand for decaffeinated coffee”.
The factory will source Robusta green coffee beans exclusively from Vietnam, and will make use of a natural, water-based process to extract caffeine from the beans. The process enables the decaffeinated coffee beans to retain the same taste and aroma as caffeinated beans, and could allow the facility to restrict its environmental impact.
The company highlighted that between 20% and 25% of Vietnam’s annual green coffee bean exports are bought by Nestlé for use in its Nescafé coffee products.
Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke said: “This factory illustrates our deep trust in a country where we have had successful operations for over 20 years and where we are committed to continue to create shared value for its communities, its coffee farmers and its consumers.”
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