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Today Nestlé announced the establishment of the Chocolate Centre of Excellence, the company's first R&D facility entirely dedicated to the development of premium and luxury chocolate.

The new centre will be located at Nestlé's chocolate factory in Broc (Switzerland), will be operational in the first half of 2009 and will bring together both internal and external know-how of international chocolate-making professionals such as top confiseurs, sensory experts and packaging designers.

The project launch was attended by Nestlé Switzerland Marketing Head Roland Decorvet and Beat Vonlanthen, Minister of Economic Affairs of the Canton of Fribourg. Petraea Heynike, Global Head of Nestlé's Chocolate Strategic Business Unit, and Klaus Zimmermann, Global Head of Nestlé's R&D and Product Technology Centers, also attended.

The establishment of the new Chocolate Centre of Excellence is a further sign that Nestlé sees luxury and premium products as one of its key strategic areas with above-average growth and profit potential over the coming years. In confectionery, the strong growth of dark and premium chocolate is the most visible sign of "premiumisation", as witnessed by strong brands such as Cailler, Perugina, Baci and Nestlé Noir. It also explains Nestlé's partnership with Belgian luxury chocolatier Pierre Marcolini who will provide inspiration to the team in Broc for some of the company's future chocolate ranges.