Despite the global economic slow-down and the impact of the recent tainted milk crisis, China will remain one of the fastest-growing markets with the biggest growth potential for Swiss food and beverage giant Nestle, senior company officials said on Friday.

"Nestle China's sales growth was still strong so far this year, partly due to the high standard products provided for China's market, which were attested with no melamine," Patrice Bula, Chairman and CEO of Nestle China said on Friday, adding that Nestle China is expected to see double-digit growth in its sales revenue this year.

The European food giant established a research and development (R&D) center in Zhongguancun Environmental Protection Park, a hi-tech industrial park in Beijing.

With approximately 70 million yuan of investment, the Beijing R&D Center will be a new branch of the company's global R&D network, which includes 24 centers. The Beijing center was the second one in China, after its Shanghai R&D center which was built in 2001.

"Food safety and quality will be the main focus of this new R&D Center," said Paul Bulcke, CEO of Nestle Worldwide. In addition, the Beijing R&D center will be the European food giant's largest technical center in Asia and the first overseas basic R&D Center.

"To better meet the growing demand for food safety and high-quality food products in the Chinese market, the Beijing R&D center will contribute to Nestle's 20 factories in the country, providing more technical products for local consumers," said Bulcke, adding that the center will strenghten Nestle's ongoing R&D efforts.

(China Daily November 1, 2008)