Nestle opened a new ice cream plant in south China on Wednesday, demonstrating its aim to further develop the Chinese market.

The 22,000-sq-m factory, in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, will increase the food and drink giant's annual ice cream productivity to 64 million liters, three times the output from its old facilities.

The plant, involving 250 million yuan ($35.6 million) in investment, will help Nestle to promote its high-end ice cream brand in south China and meet the growing consumer desire for ice cream products, said Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman and CEO of the Nestle Group worldwide at the opening ceremony.

Nestle, the world's largest food company, has opened 20 factories in 17 regions across China since it entered the market two decades ago, employing more than 13,000 people.

The Swiss-headquartered group said earlier this month that it expected underlying sales to rise in 2008 at a similar rate to 7.4 percent last year, a big jump from its long-term growth target of between 5 and 6 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2008)