Nestlé to open Abu Dhabi water bottling plant

Nestlé Waters, the parent company of brands such as Perrier, San Pellegrino and Acqua Panna, is opening a Dh100 million water bottling factory in Abu Dhabi. The new plant will bottle the Nestlé Pure Life brand for the first time in the UAE.

The agreement, signed with ZonesCorp, will involve construction of the plant beginning this year and opening in 2018. The factory will be Nestlé Waters’ second in the UAE, after its original plant, opened in 2003, in Dubai’s Al Quoz district relocated to the TechnoPark in Jebel Ali Free Zone in 2010.

“Abu Dhabi is the perfect loca­tion to establish a new water plant, as it offers many advantages for the smooth running of the facility, and a strategic location for distribution within the UAE and lower Gulf countries,” said Walid Zamamiri, managing director at Nestlé Waters for the Lower Gulf.

The factory is expected to provide up to 100 jobs when fully operational.

“San Pellegrino and Perrier are leading premium sparkling water brands in the UAE. We are witnessing an increased demand for high-quality bottled water brands. Overall the bottled water category has been witnessing a steady single-digit growth over the past five years,” he said.

Agthia, the Abu Dhabi-listed maker of Al Ain bottled water bought Al Bayan Purification and Bottled Water, Shaklan Plastic Manufacturing and Al Manal Purification and Bottling Mineral Water in October 2015 and announced a Dh500 million investment over the next three years.

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter