Nestlé launched a recently revamped coffee-producing factory in KwaZulu-Natal that will export the product to the rest of the continent.

The plant extension in Estcourt‚ the province’s small industrial town‚ cost R1.2bn.

This brought the total amount of Nestlé’s investment to R2.9bn since the factory was launched in 1927.

Nestlé‚ which has been operating in SA for 100 years‚ said the revamping of the factory has created 490 indirect and permanent jobs.

"This investment into the expansion of the factory forms part of the company’s R2.9-billion foreign direct investment injected into Nestlé SA’s operations in the last five years‚" said Nestle corporate affairs director Ravi Pillay.

"The expansion in SA included the construction of a waste water treatment plant‚ the new coffee plant‚ the new coffee processing plant‚ the upgrading of the existing coffee processing and the installation of state of the art coffee drying plant‚" he said.

Mr Pillay said Nestlé has also benefited from government through the Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme‚ meant to drive growth‚ promote competitiveness and retain jobs.

He added that company spends R6-billion per annum on local procurement and has employed 6,000 people‚ buys from 227 farmers‚ has eight factory facilities and 95% of products are procured locally.

TMG Digital