Nestle eyes tea drinkers with 3in1 coffee sachet

BY PATRICK GITHINJI

Food manufacturer, Nestle Equatorial Africa has unveiled a ready to drink coffee sachet, known as 3in1.

The firm’s Regional Head for Equatorial Africa, Pierre Trouilhat, said they will source raw materials locally to cut production costs by identifying local suppliers of milk, maize, tea and coffee.

The firm has also entered into a partnership with East Africa Dairy Board, which will see the Board facilitate the buying of milk powder from farmers. Trouilhat declined to give details on dry milk offer price, only saying that the price is fixed.

Trouilhat was speaking in Nairobi when he unveiled a ready to drink coffee sachet, known as 3in1. The product is a ready mix of coffee, sugar and creamer packed in sachets and retailing at Sh10.

He said yesterday the product seeks to inculcate coffee drinking culture on the lower income consumers who are predominantly tea drinkers. Since the pilot program introduction in October, the firm said that they have sold a million cups of coffee.

"Our aim is to offer high nutritional value food at low prices made available in smaller, more affordable pack sizes," Trouilhat said. The low cost model will be made possible by local sourcing, local manufacturing and local distribution.

The company has also invested Sh2.37 billion in the Nairobi factory to boost its ability to offer new product lines, and strengthen its production capacity.

"The Nairobi factory will supply the products to all the countries which are part of Nestle Equatorial African market," he said.

Between October last year and September this year, coffee prices increased worldwide, earning the country Sh16 billion. This was the highest amount in recent years, with the crop having raked in Sh10.7 billion in the previous year.