Nestle to make chocolate in Dubai by end of 2010

Nestle Group announced on Sunday that it planned to start manufacturing chocolates, wafers and bottled water from its new Dubai factory later in 2010.

Jafza based Nestle Middle East, the regional headquarters of the world's largest nutrition, health and wellness company, added that operations at its new facility in TechnoPark had now started.

Initially, the 1.78 million sq ft facility is producing powdered milk and repackaging Mackintosh's Quality Street chocolates.

But the company said it plans to start manufacturing chocolates and wafers, as well as water from the factory later this year.

"The production capacity of the new facility will be more than 100,000 tons per year. We have made enough provision to expand our operations to meet growing market demands for the next few years," said Yves Manghardt, chairman and CEO of Nestle Middle East.

"The Middle East region is part of the Nestle Group's Asia, Oceania and Africa Zone, and is considered as a region having tremendous growth potential," he added in a statement.

"We have invested more than $400 million in the Middle East over the years and our new multi million dollar manufacturing facility in TechnoPark is another testimonial to our deep commitment to this region," he said.

Nestle Middle East operates in 13 countries in the Middle East region including the GCC countries, Levant, Iran, Iraq and Yemen.

It owns and operates 17 factories and 37 offices in the region and employs more than 7,000 people.