Swiss food company Nestlé plans to invest AED500m ($136.09m) to set up a manufacturing plant at Dubai World Central business park, Dubai, a move that will help the company better serve the Middle East.
The plant, which will be built on a 175,000m2 site, will manufacture nutrition, culinary and coffee products.
Nestlé Middle East chairman and CEO Yves Manghardt said the company is seeking to strengthen its presence in the Middle East markets, and will continue to invest in projects that enable it to better serve consumers in the region.
According to Nestlé technical director Hans Juergen Jung, producing locally allows the company to bring products faster and therefore fresher to consumers.
"The construction of a new facility at Dubai World Central strengthens our local manufacturing capabilities, giving us more flexibility in adopting our products to local consumer preferences and using local and regional raw materials," Jung added.
The facility, which will create up to 800 jobs, is also expected help the company gain synergies in its warehousing and logistics to serve the entire Middle East region.
The new plant will mark Nestlé's second facility in Dubai - the company opened its first manufacturing facility in 2010.