Nestlé has a strong and growing business in coffee mixes worldwide. This business is especially strong in the Asia Pacific region, and is expected to continue to grow over the coming years. In response to this growing demand for coffee mixes, Nestlé has created a new hub for innovation in beverages in Singapore to serve the Asia Pacific Region.This new regional hub, which is a team of technical specialists, will be located at the company's R&D Centre in Singapore. It will extend Nestlé's existing hub for innovation in Milo, and focus on coffee mixes. Its mission will be to accelerate renovation and innovation in beverages and develop new product concepts based on local tastes and preferences for both local and wider geographical roll out. In addition the hub will develop new packaging solutions including packaging for consumers with limited income, and provide training and technical assistance to Nestlé markets in the Asia Pacific Region.

The new hub will be fully functional at the beginning of 2011. In the meantime the new team is being selected and trained. This regional team will be part of Nestlé's global network of specialists and experts in beverages.

Klaus Zimmermann, Nestlé's global Head of the Product Technology and R&D Centers made the announcement on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of its R&D Centre in Singapore. For the last 30 years Nestlé's R&D centre in Singapore has been spearheading inventive research for a large range of products under global brands such as Maggi in culinary, Milo nutritious beverages, Nestle Professional and Nestle Nutrition.

R&D Singapore's Director, Susanne Kulhanek said at the event, "As proud as we are of our past successes, this is no time to rest on our laurels. Indeed, faced with an increasingly competitive economic environment, we need to keep blazing the trail of innovation so that we can continue to serve our consumers to the best of our ability, to meet - even anticipate - their needs, and to delight their palettes. In order to do this, we must continually expand and update our range of products as proof of our commitment, creativity and know-how while creating shared value."

R&D Singapore works closely with other Nestlé R&D facilities around the world and engages in external partnerships with regional research and academic institutions and industrial partners to accelerate innovations. Nestlé's global R&D network comprises 29 Research, Development and Technology Centres and employs around 5,000 people.