Agro Perspectiva

Nespresso thrives with expansion and excelled business performance

17.05.2010 10:49 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — Nestlé Nespresso gains momentum on building its leadership in highest-quality premium portioned coffee sector with further expansion and strong business performance. Its investment in coffee excellence is marked by the start of its planned extension of the Nespresso Centre of Coffee Excellence in Avenches, Switzerland, in 2010. The extension phase set for completion in 2012, will bring the total Nespresso investment of the state-of-the-art Production and Distribution Centre to more than CHF 400 million. Richard Girardot, CEO of Nestlé Nespresso S. A. emphasises that the sustainable, high-performance facility reaffirms its commitment to coffee excellence and highlights its consistent investment in quality. He said: «Nespresso will continue to make substantial strategic investment in our high-quality Swiss production capability. This investment will enable us to deliver on our planned growth in the years ahead.» Plans to construct the facility were first announced in 2006, with construction beginning a year later and officially opened in 2009. In boosting its leadership, Nespresso also expands its network this month with a new flagship store in Brussels. The 350 square metres boutique on Avenue Louise — which offers its stylish coffee machines and Grand Cru capsules — also provides a ’Recycling Corner’. This location joins the many sites where used capsules can be recycled, further backing the Company’s drive to reduce the impact on the environment. In the United States, Nespresso also opened its new Boutique Bar in Miami — continuing its plans to extend its network of boutiques from some 190 to about 230 in 2010. Focusing on Europe, Asia and North America as home to the new sites, Nespresso will also expand to new geographies such as Shanghai in China; and Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa — its first locations in Sub-Saharan Africa. With its 4,500-strong worldwide team, Nespresso delivers strong leadership in the premium portioned coffee sector. In March, the company announced that it achieved sales of CHF 2.77 billion, delivering sales growth of more than 22%. To assert its leadership, Nespresso also grew its retail network and launched its new machine range CitiZ, while Nespresso Club membership reached more than 7 million people worldwide. On track to deliver double-digit growth and exceed the CHF 3 billion sales milestone this year, Nespresso will focus on its core competences, its coffee quality and coffee expertise, while maintaining its constant drive in innovation using its in-house R&D expertise. The Nestlé premium brand will also focus on its global brand community built on direct consumer relationships and customer services Mr Giradot emphasised: "This year, Nespresso will roll out a new customer service model, starting by renewing the sensory and brand experience in our boutiques. We will then extend our boutique team’s passion to serve and share to our Customer Relationship Centres, and match it with a dynamic new e-commerce platform. «This will renovate all three Nespresso distribution channels and consumer contact points. In 2010, Nespresso is well and truly on track for a decade of 30% average growth», he concluded.