Nespresso begins US$178M expansion of Swiss center, doubling production capacity

15 Jun 2021 --- Nespresso has begun the construction of its expansion of the company’s production center in Romont, Switzerland. The first new production lines are expected to be fully operational by June 2022. 

The CHF160 million (US$178 million) investment in this structure answers the increasing consumer demand for Nespresso’s premium coffees and supports international development in the coming years.

The laying of the first stone of the second production hall took place in the presence of representatives of the canton of Fribourg, the district of Glâne and the municipality of Romont.

Doubling production capacity 
The construction of this second production hall will double the production capacity with ten new lines dedicated to Nespresso Vertuo and Professional coffee ranges.

“This foundation illustrates our Swiss and regional roots and symbolizes the continued success of Nespresso. It is a story that began in 1986, and it is with great joy that we write a new chapter today,” says Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso.

The US$178 million investment in this new structure will answer the increasing consumer demand for Nespresso’s premium coffees.The Romont factory, inaugurated in 2015, is the center of production for Nespresso’s Vertuo coffees, now available in 24 countries across North America, Europe and Asia. 

In the last two years, Nespresso strengthened its operations in Romont with the addition of four new production lines and the creation of 50 new jobs while inaugurating a new Product Development Center and a Coffee Campus in 2018, fostering coffee innovation and expertise.

Impacting local economy
All Nespresso coffees distributed worldwide are produced in Switzerland. 

Over the past 10 years, Nespresso has invested CHF700 million (US$779 million) in its three Swiss-based production centers in the cantons of Vaud and Fribourg, where sustainably grown coffee beans are transformed into high-quality coffees.

“Nespresso has given a lot of hope and a sense of renaissance locally. This extension confirms the hopes and promises, all in record time. Today, an industrial lung for the Glâne district, this site brings a positive dynamic and a new image to the region,” adds Willy Schorderet, préfet of the district of Glâne.

Sustainability credentials
Nespresso says it is committed to its sustainability ambition that every cup of Nespresso coffee has a positive impact on the world. 

All three Nespresso production centers are “zero waste to landfill,” and production processes have been optimized to ensure heat and water are recovered and reused whenever possible. 

In the existing facility in Romont, the heat from the coffee roasters is recovered and used to preheat the green coffee and the factory itself. Any excess heat is redistributed to the local community. 

Going for gold
Romont was the first production center in Switzerland, and thus the first factory for Nestlé in Switzerland as well to achieve the LEED Gold certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in 2015. The new production hall will be built based on the same LEED principles that have guided the construction of the Romont production center back in 2015. 

This certification covers the energy and water efficiency of an industrial building. It weighs aspects such as employees’ health and well-being at the workplace and infrastructure for environmentally-friendly mobility. 

Some examples of the various initiatives carried out by Nespresso to meet the LEED requirements include the use of 20 percent recycled construction materials and an 18 percent decrease of the site’s energy consumption thanks to heat recovery from the roasters, triple glazing and the use of LED lighting. 

The LEED certification extends Nespresso’s sustainability commitments and forms part of its global sustainability strategy, The Positive Cup.

Edited by Elizabeth Green