Where We Operate
Where We Operate
In May 2009, Nestlé opened a Research and Development Centre in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, the only one of its kind in Africa
In 2009, Nestlé celebrated the 50th anniversary of its presence in Côte d'Ivoire, being the first food company to set up in 1959, the year before Côte d'Ivoire achieved independence from its French colonial status.
In 1962, our Nescafé factory was opened, followed in 1977 by our culinary factory. Of our 963 employees, 953 are local.
Recent years have witnessed two coups d’état in the country, in 1999 and 2001, as well as a civil war that lasted from 2002 to 2007. Throughout these years, Nestlé has continued to buy cocoa from Côte d'Ivoire and manufacture and market its wide range of products.
Most significantly, in 2009, the Nestlé Research and Development Centre was opened in Abidjan, the only one of its kind in Africa. The Centre is dedicated to research and development in the African region, focused on West Africa and Côte d'Ivoire and meeting the needs of African consumers through local traditional raw materials and nutritious ingredients.
