Nestle Opens Gluten-Free Products Facility in New Zealand

Responding to changes in consumer demand and export opportunities, Nestle opened a new multi-million dollar manufacturing plant in New Zealand to produce gluten-free products for domestic and regional consumption, the Swiss company announced Tuesday.

“While we have been increasing our gluten free range for some years, capacity constraints have limited the range. This new facility gives us significant additional capacity, with room to grow,” said Nestle professional country manager Eleni Gonzalez in a company statement.

The new plant at Nestle’s Cambria Park factory in South Auckland will produce a variety of gluten-free products, including a range of Maggi products for home cooking like flavor boosters, recipe bases, gravies, sauces, and soups and Nestle’s Docello dessert mixtures for professional food service customers.

“Given the need for some people to eliminate particular foods or ingredients, together with an increase in other dietary preferences, food service and dining out of home has become more complex. The chefs who are our customers tell us that a wider gluten-free range will remove the need for special menu items, saving money and time,” said Gonzalez.

The new facility will increase export revenues generated from Nestle’s Cambria Park plants, the company said. The other Nestle plant at the South Auckland site generates more than $60 million in exports per year, the new facility and expanded production capacity could increase that figure. A “robust” quality assurance system will help verify that products are free of gluten, Nestle stated.

“Our international research and development program now allows us to create high-quality gluten-free products that taste great and maintain texture. Gluten-free no longer means compromise,” said Nestle New Zealand chief executive officer Veronique Cermades in a statement.

Nestle’s Cambria Park site opened in 1962 and is now produces a range of Maggi, Nestle Docello and confectionary products. 

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