Nestlé is opening its first research and development centre in India to further its understanding of Indian consumers, traditional ingredients and local cuisine, and to provide scientific and technological expertise to the rest of its global business.
The centre, which will specialise in Asian noodles and Indian cooking, will focus on developing highly nutritious, affordable products in appropriate serving sizes for lower income consumers.
Researchers will gain expertise in the use of local ingredients and culinary traditions, said the company – work Nestlé expects to be a source of new ideas for products.
The company has invested CHF 50 million in the centre, which is located in Manesar close to Nestlé India’s headquarters in Gurgaon.
“Our R&D centre in India will help us gain important insights into local consumers’ eating habits and taste preferences, as well as greater expertise in using and processing local ingredients to develop products for India and beyond,” said Paul Bulcke, Nestlé’s CEO, at the inauguration event. “As with all Nestlé’s R&D centres, it will be part of our worldwide R&D network, enabling us to acquire local knowledge and use it on a global scale.”
“R&D India will work closely with our other R&D facilities across the world, contributing to our existing knowledge base, and providing new opportunities for innovation and for the growth of our business,” said Johannes Baensch, Nestlé’s global head of research and development. “It will also nurture local talent. Nestlé will recruit the majority of employees from the excellent pool of talented science and engineering graduates in this region. They will be part of our global workforce, sharing knowledge with their colleagues worldwide, and have opportunities to work with ur R&D operations in other countries.”
Nestlé said that its investment in India reflects its long-term commitment to strengthening its R&D capability in emerging markets. Last month the company announced plans to increase the number of R&D facilities it has in China from two to four by 2013. In total, Nestlé has 32 research and development centres worldwide.
