Portuguese 
The new infant formula unit will be built next to Nestlé’s largest dairy complex in Latin America, with construction starting in 2027, expected to begin operations in 2028, and about 100 permanent direct jobs.
Nestlé will invest R$600 million (about US$110 million) in a new factory in Ituiutaba, in the Triângulo Mineiro region, as part of a strategy that extends beyond simply opening another production line. The project aligns with a R$2 billion (about US$360 million) investment allocated by the multinational towards Nutrition and Health in Brazil by 2028.
Construction is set to begin in 2027. During this phase, the expectation is to mobilize around 700 workers, while about 100 direct jobs are projected to remain when the unit begins operations, in 2028.
The scale of the project is also evident in its physical dimensions: the factory will cover approximately 11,000 square meters and will be installed next to the existing Nestlé facility in Ituiutaba.
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This location helps explain why the city was selected.
New factory to be located next to the largest dairy operation of Nestlé in Latin America
Ituiutaba is not starting from scratch in terms of the multinational’s industrial structure. The city already hosts what Nestlé itself classifies as its largest dairy operation in Latin America, where various products from the Ninho and Molico lines are manufactured.
Now, this complex will gain a new function. The future plant will focus on the production of infant formulas and will be designed to be fully automated, incorporating technologies utilized globally by the company in this segment.
Initially, the lines Nestogeno, Nestonutri, Ninho 1+, and Ninho 3+ are planned. This change is also industrially significant for Minas Gerais: the state will have dedicated production for this segment, which is currently concentrated mainly in Araçatuba, São Paulo.
The 700 jobs will be concentrated in construction; later, the factory will have around 100 direct positions
There is an important distinction between the employment numbers announced.
The approximately 700 positions are related to the construction phase of the factory. Construction is expected to commence in 2027 and, according to information released about the project, should last around 18 months.
When production actually begins, the workforce structure will be smaller. The estimate is for about 100 new permanent direct jobs in operations.
This difference is also related to the technological profile of the project. Nestlé states that the new unit will be fully automated, adopting advanced technologies for the production of infant formulas.
For those monitoring job opportunities in the region, there will be two distinct phases: first, the demand related to the implementation and construction of the project; second, the positions associated with industrial operations.
Factory also aims to replace part of what is currently imported to Brazil
The investment has another aim that underscores its significance.
Currently, the Brazilian market for the company’s infant formulas is partially supplied by imported products. With the factory in Ituiutaba, Nestlé intends to increase supply through national production.
There is also a second prospect on the horizon: exporting part of Brazilian production. The company claims that the new capacity could create supply opportunities for external markets in the future.
This transforms the Ituiutaba project into something greater than just a physical expansion of the existing factory. The city begins to occupy space in a category that Nestlé considers strategic within its Nutrition and Health division.
Investment in Ituiutaba is part of a much larger package
The R$ 600 million allocated to the factory represents only a fraction of the multinational’s plan.
Nestlé anticipates investing R$ 2 billion in Nutrition and Health in Brazil by 2028. This amount corresponds to approximately 30% of the R$ 7 billion in investments in the country between 2025 and 2028 announced by the company.
In addition to Ituiutaba, the plan includes actions in other industrial operations, including the Araçatuba complex, as well as enhancing the ingredient supply chain used by the company.
The mining unit will also be utilizing biomethane as part of the company’s energy transition strategy, replacing LPG in industrial processes such as furnaces, chambers, and boilers.
With construction slated for 2027 and production expected in 2028, the next focal point will be the actual implementation of the project and the opening of job opportunities associated with construction and, subsequently, factory operations.
Source: Nestlé Brazil — official investment announcement
