Switzerland's Nestlé inaugurated two new production lines in Laixi, Qingdao, on Oct 28. The project is expected to generate an annual output value exceeding 1 billion yuan ($140.63 million), injecting fresh momentum into Qingdao's food and beverage sector while demonstrating how multinational corporations can actively participate in China's industrial upgrading through smart manufacturing and integrated supply chains.

Since setting up its first liquid dairy plant in Laixi in 1994, Nestlé has expanded its local presence over the past 31 years to include coffee production, an R&D center, and baby food manufacturing. The Laixi base now serves as Nestlé's sole liquid dairy and instant coffee production site in Greater China, as well as the only wet-product facility for its Gerber brand across Asia, Africa, and Oceania.

The company has also driven regional development through its "company + farming base + breeders" model, supporting over 280 local dairy farmers in raising 74,700 cows and producing 200,000 metric tons of milk annually — making Laixi a key dairy hub in Shandong and nationwide.

Nestlé is not the only global company deepening its roots in Qingdao. CJ Group, another early South Korean investor in the city, has expanded 13 times over three decades, with registered capital reaching $130 million and sales growing over 30 percent annually since 2018.

These long-term partnerships reflect Qingdao's open, supportive business environment and its success in building win-win cooperation with global enterprises.

Switzerland's Nestlé inaugurates two new production lines in Laixi, Qingdao, on Oct 28. [Photo/Guanhai News]