“Hope that Vietnam will further open economic door in order to create more business opportunities for Nestle Vietnam”

Mr. Pierre Schaufelberger

The Dong Nai Newspaper’ Kim Loan interviewed Mr. Pierre Schaufellberger, General Director of Nestle ( Vietnam ) Co. Ltd.

How much did your company invest in Vietnam ?

Nestlé Vietnam has just been approved to raise investment in it to US$ 75 million from US$ 55 million that enables us to expand our business in Vietnam by Vietnam Government.

Can you tell us your business expansion plan?

I think my company can expand business in Dong Nai province where has the existing factory of Nestlé Vietnam . Our company enjoys the benefit of running a successful business here.

How much does your company produce today?

In term of production capacity meets the demands of todays market. We will create suitable solutions in order to meet rising customer demands if any. Nestlé Vietnam recorded high growth in 2004 and the first half of 2005. This result indicates upward growth trend through the past years.

Does your company capture large market shares in Vietnam ?

Nestlé Vietnam controls the market of our products, particularly, beverage products with large market shares. The goal is to capture the leading position in all sectors that are competitive in the market thanks to provide high quality products for customers. Our members are striving to ensure we hit the target.

What products do your company sell in Vietnamese market?

Nestlé products are available at the Vietnamese market as follows Milk Nestle Baby: LACTOGEN, NAN , infant cereals and growing up milk Nestlé, yoghurt, beverage products: Nescafe instant coffee, Nestea and Milo . Especially, La Vie Bottled Water is produced by a joint venture between Long An General Trading Company and Nestle Vietnam . In addition, we supply Vietnamese customers with the following imported products: KitKat chocolate bar, breakfast cereals and FOX candy bar.

What resources do you plan to apply to product sales for achieving customer satisfaction?

Nestlé products are not only designed to appeal evolving customer tastes but also paid attention to nutrition and health care. Besides, customer needs surveys and research will be developed further to provide the most in depth understanding what he needs. At the same time, our company will supply customers with information of Nestlé products to help enhance consumers’ awareness. We will provide high quality products at low price for customers and widen our distribution network throughout the country in order to achieve customers satisfaction.

What are your comments on Vietnamese market compared with other markets in Asia ?

It has been nearly 12 years since Nestlé Vietnam was established but consumption of Nestlé products per capita now is equal against that of other Asian countries, in particular China. We reached particularly high growth rates in Vietnam .

As Vietnam integrates into AFTA and joins WTO, do these changes affect on operation of Nestle Vietnam ?

We hope that Vietnam will further open economic door that helps raising income and living standards of Vietnamese people. At the same time, more business opportunities will be in created for Nestlé Vietnam .

What can you help Vietnamese Agriculture, in particular Vietnamese coffee farmers as a coffee manufacturer?

Annually, Nestlé buys nearly 25% of total coffee beans grown in Vietnam in order to supply these to our factories throughout the world. Our company supports efforts to develop and promote sustainable agriculture in Vietnam and implemented conservation field projects in coffee-growing area such as Krong Pak and Dak Lak. These are pilot projects that help coffee farmers improve agricultural and environmental practices. We also helped send scientists at Tay Nguyen ( Central Highlands ) Agricultural Science Institute to the Nestlé Research Center in France  for learning specific useful knowledge of different varieties of coffee there. On the other hand, we provide growers with guidelines on how to improve coffee quality, how to use fertilizer as well as offer information on world coffee prices.     

Are there differences in the tastes between products of Nestlé and those of other competitive rivals ?

To Nestlé, anywhere we operate, we are always research cautiously that market, accordingly we are launching the products which meet the demand and taste of consumers. We are interested in not only delicious taste but also nutrition component of the product. That is the reason why the consumers over the world have accepted the products of Nestlé. Besides, the worldwide 17 developing and researching centers of Nestlé have worked continuously aiming to improve the quality of product and make it more attractive and fresh to consumers. 

By Kim Loan