Nestlé (Malaysia) Berhad’s Plant-Based Meal Solutions manufacturing facility, one of only two in Asia, is now complete and operational, and will be officially launched in April.
CEO of Nestlé Malaysia Juan Aranols said, its entrance in the emerging plant-based category will be one of the exciting developments in 2021.
“In 2021 we expect to allocate significant new fresh investment to further expand and upgrade our manufacturing facilities, creating also new job opportunities.
“Last but not least, we will continue accelerating our efforts in 2021 to shape a greener and more sustainable future for all, with important projects such as the execution of Project RELeaf, he said in a recent statement.
Listed Nestle Malaysia is controlled by Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage manufacturer which is headquartered in Switzerland and operates in more than 180 countries.
On prospects for 2021, Aranols said he foresaw that Covid-19 will continue to have repercussions, especially through the first half of the year.
“We will continue to focus on ensuring the safety of our people, the continued supply of our products to our customers and will again help vulnerable communities through different programmes.
“We also expect a significant rebound in the prices of many key commodities that anticipate margin tensions that we will continue to do our best to manage. And of course, we will drive our business with a long-term focus and always deliver safe, high-quality nutritional products meeting the taste and other expectations of all Malaysians.”
Nestle Malaysia registered a profit before tax (PBT) of RM167.4 million, closing the gap on 2019 vs previous three reported quarters. This was primarily due to the impacted out-of-home (OOH) channels, as well as higher operational expenses to protect the safety of all employees at work and ensure operational continuity, including a massive Covid-19 antigen screening programme critical to keep all employees safe and ensure operational continuity.
Nevertheless, the Group recorded a profit after tax (PAT) of RM132.5 million, marginally higher versus the same quarter last year.
“Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, our foremost priority was to protect the safety of all our employees, regardless of cost implications.
“As an example, our mass testing programme which started in October 2020 has seen over 140,000 tests performed to date, with a cumulated cost of several million Ringgit.
“The fight against the virus requires us to remain humble and continue to be very proactive and disciplined in the application of all standard operating procedures (SOPs) and containment measures.
“We have also delivered on our commitment to protect jobs and employment, having managed to avoid any workforce restructuring in 2020 in spite of the significant cost pressures we have had to absorb.”
