Nestlé has opened a $340 million Nescafé coffee factory in Veracruz, Mexico, generating 1,200 new jobs in the region and making the country bordering the U.S. its main producer of the popular beverage globally.
The new factory includes state-of-the-art equipment and uses green energy to reduce water and energy consumption. Nestlé said it uses wastewater treatment systems to ensure 100% of water recirculation, zero wastewater discharges, and zero waste to landfills. The facility is also equipped with a biomass boiler to use waste from the coffee process to generate energy.
According to a poll by the National CoffeeAssociation released in March, coffee consumption has risen to a two-decade high as Americans engage in new post-COVID routines.
Nestlé has been among the biggest beneficiaries. In April, the company said its coffee portfolio posted high single-digit growth fueled by continued demand for Nescafé, Starbucks, and Nespresso. Nestlé’s Nescafé is the largest brand for Nestlé, Forbes noted in 2020.
Nestlé has moved aggressively in recent years to reorganize its portfolio to prioritize faster-growing offerings like coffee while jettisoning slower-growing businesses such as ice cream, candy, and much of its water in the U.S. The shift has been closely followed by plant expansions or the construction of new manufacturing facilities.