The Home of Nestlé Coffee: Orbe Site Celebrates Its 125th Anniversary
26.02.2026 | from Nestlé Switzerland
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Image rights: Nestlé Schweiz
26.02.2026, The history of today's Nestlé Campus in Orbe (VD) began 125 years ago with the manufacture of milk chocolate. Later, it became the starting point for Nescafé production, as well as the development of Nespresso machines and capsules, along with numerous global innovations. Today, Orbe is the company's most important coffee expertise centre, bringing together a unique concentration of knowledge and expertise in this field.
This year, the Nestlé factory in Orbe celebrates its 125th anniversary. What began in 1901 with the factory of milk chocolate inventor Daniel Peter has evolved over the years and decades into the hub of Nestlé’s coffee world.
Almost 90 years ago in Orbe, production of the first ever aroma- preserving instant coffee—the legendary Nescafé—was initiated. It was here that 40 years ago the foundation stone for Nespresso was laid, and 20 years ago, the Nescafé Dolce Gusto capsule system was brought to market maturity, including various coffee machines. The latest generation of the Nescafé Dolce Gusto NEO systems with compostable capsules is also a concentration of innovations from Orbe.
The significance of the site is highlighted by the latest investment, which was completed and opened just in time for the anniversary: the new Training Centre. In a modern environment, employees are trained and further educated with a focus on quality, safety, and sustainability in coffee production.
More than 6000 cups of Nescafé per second
The worldwide success of Nescafé—approximately one in seven coffees consumed globally is a Nescafé —originated from a request to Nestlé from Brazil, where vast amounts of coffee were stored in the 1930s and threatened to spoil.
Food chemist Max Morgenthaler then developed a groundbreaking world-first in the Nestlé labs in Vevey: an instant coffee that preserved its flavour while being shelf-stable.
Today, Nescafé is the most consumed coffee, with more than 6000 cups per second. At 25 production locations worldwide, around 8000 employees produce Nescafé, and the Orbe campus employs about 1150 people, with over 250 working in the Nescafé factory.
Passing on knowledge and values
Innovation has always been part of Orbe's DNA. In addition to numerous production lines, Nestlé operates a technology centre for coffee and out-of- home consumption as well as a deep-tech centre in Orbe. The campus also includes quality labs and a new training centre. Factory director Mathalai Sudharsan emphasizes that the campus is more than just a place where people work. 'Nestlé is a staple of the town of Orbe. We employ people from families who live here and have worked for Nestlé for several generations,' he notes. As such, they identify with Nestlé and Nescafé.
He cites this connection as an important reason for the site's success: 'About one-third of our workforce has a training function. They pass on their knowledge and thus the values of Nestlé.' This forms the foundation for successful innovation and the continuous development of the factory and products.
Cold is the new hot: New trends as innovation drivers
The coffee market is very dynamic, with new coffee-based beverages constantly emerging. Perhaps the most important current trend can be summed up by Mathalai Sudharsan as follows: 'Cold is the new hot.' More than a third of coffees and coffee drinks are consumed cold, with a strong upward trend.
Nescafé is responding to this trend with new products like Espresso Concentrate—a liquid espresso that can be mixed with milk, ice, or soda—as well as soluble coffees specially developed for cold consumption and ready-to-drink cold coffee beverages in can format.
Securing the future for coffee farmers
Another focus is on sustainable and climate- resilient coffee farming. On one hand, coffee consumption continues to rise, while on the other hand, growing areas are at risk of disappearing due to climatic changes.
To support coffee farmers in adapting their cultivation methods to new conditions and making them more robust, Nestlé launched the 'Nescafé Plan' in 2010. The goal by 2030: 100% responsibly sourced coffee (by the end of 2024, the share was 93%; see also here), 50% of which from regenerative farming (by the end of 2024, the share was 32%). This initiative also aligns with Nespresso's commitment to regenerative agriculture and the goals of their AAA Program, which aims to improve coffee quality, protect the environment, enhance the resilience of farming communities, and ensure the long-term preservation of ecosystems. The Orbe campus plays an important role in achieving these goals. On one hand, products from here are exported to around fifty countries, and on the other hand, the site contributes with its expertise, innovation, and knowledge transfer to achieving the group's ambitious goals.
Media contact:
Press Office Nestlé Switzerland
Tel. +41 21 924 59 50
presse@ch.nestle.com
Editor's note: Image rights belong to the respective publisher. Image rights: Nestlé Schweiz
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Nestlé Switzerland
Nestlé is the world's largest food corporation and the largest industrial company in Switzerland. Its headquarters are located in Vevey.
Nestlé originates from Switzerland and has always introduced strong and forward-looking brands. Consequently, a large number of brands are particularly cherished by Swiss citizens.
Brands such as Cailler and Thomy are part of our national culinary heritage. Nescafé, Maggi, and Nespresso are known worldwide. And they were all invented in Switzerland.
At Nestlé, we believe that to be sustainably successful, we must create value not only for our shareholders but also for society as a whole. We refer to this as creating shared value.
This is not a charitable idea; rather, we aim to achieve socially responsible growth through it.
In Switzerland as in all other countries where Nestlé is active, creating value for our shareholders and our company also means creating value for the communities in which we are active. This includes our partners who supply us with raw materials, our employees, and of course our consumers.
To achieve shared value creation, we must behave responsibly.
We must therefore ensure that our activities are ecologically sustainable, socially equitable, and economically sensible. For this reason, we will never sacrifice our long-term business development for short-term gains.
Note: The "About Us" text is taken from public sources or from the company profile on HELP.ch.
Source: Nestlé Switzerland, Press release
Original article published on: Die Heimat des Nestlé-Kaffees: der Standort Orbe feiert sein 125-Jahr-Jubiläum