New facility in gluten free products unveiled

28 February 2017

Nestlé factory investment in gluten free production opens export opportunities

28 February 2017 - Nestlé today unveiled a new multi-million-dollar facility which will both expand the availability of gluten free products in New Zealand, and create new export opportunities for Maggi and Docello food service brands.

The new facility, at Nestlé’s Cambria Park factory in South Auckland, has been created in response to surging demand for gluten free products both in New Zealand and the region.

Prime Minister Bill English officiated at the opening of the advanced controlled production facility.

The site’s annual exports of over $60m are expected to increase as the expanded capacity, backed by robust quality assurance systems give confidence in a true gluten free offer, unlocking new potential.

Nestlé New Zealand CEO Veronique Cremades said the investment goes beyond the factory alone.

“Our international research and development program now allow us to create high quality gluten free products that taste great and maintain texture. Gluten free no longer means compromise,” Ms Cremades said.

“Careful product development means a wide range of products will be made gluten free, including a selection of Maggi products sold in supermarkets for at-home use, and a wide range of Maggi flavour boosters, recipe bases, gravies, sauces, soups and Nestlé Docello dessert mixtures used in professional food service.”

Ms Cremades said that it is just one of many ways Nestlé is responding to consumers’ health needs.

For the one in 100 New Zealanders diagnosed with coeliac disease, a strict lifelong gluten-free diet is essential.

Nestlé Professional Country Manager Eleni Gonzalez said that gluten free products are increasingly sought after in the hospitality sector.

“Given the need for some people to eliminate particular foods or ingredients, together with an increase in other dietary preferences, food service and dining out of home has become more complex. The chefs who are our customers tell us that a wider gluten free range will remove the need for special menu items, saving money and time,” Ms Gonzalez said.

“While we have been increasing our gluten free range for some years, capacity constraints have limited the range. This new facility gives us significant additional capacity, with room to grow”.

Nestlé’s Cambria Park site has seen 55 years of innovation since it opened in 1962. Now the regional hub for Maggi, the factory produces Maggi and Nestlé Docello culinary products for home and food service, as well as a number of confectionery products.

ENDS

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