A new deep tech center at Nestlé’s System Technology Center in Orbe, Switzerland, will open next year to expand the food and nutrition giant’s capabilities in areas from robots and smart coffee machines to precision nutrition.
The center, which will open in the first half of 2026, will “build on existing expertise in sensor systems, solutions for product recognition, remote control and display solutions,” explained Nestlé, which is on a mission to “accelerate its digital transformation to be a real time, end-to-end connected enterprise, powered by data and artificial intelligence.”
Under CEO Laurent Freixe, who replaced Mark Schneider last fall, Nestlé is focusing investment on innovations dubbed “big bets” such as Nescafé Espresso Concentrate, which enables consumers to make café-style cold espresso drinks at home, and building new growth platforms in nutrition, with a particular focus on women’s health.
It has also been expanding its AI capabilities in areas such as e-commerce where the tech allows it to optimize its digital shelves and create more personalized content.
Smart coffee machines
According to a release, the new deep tech center will “screen, test and develop new generations of sensors, robots, coding systems, high-performing AI and virtual/mixed reality solutions to increase efficiency in research, innovation and operations.
“New technologies will enable the development of smart coffee machines, innovative solutions for precision nutrition, self-controlling equipment and new solutions for dynamic quality assurance.”
According to a spokesperson: “We’re exploring self-controlling equipment—advanced manufacturing systems that use intelligent process control and machine learning to automatically adapt and optimize their own operations. These technologies support what we call ‘zero-touch’ manufacturing—where equipment can make real-time adjustments with limited human intervention, leading to better efficiency, consistency, and quality.”
Asked for examples of “high-performing AI,” the spokesperson added: “In product development, AI helps us optimize recipes by rapidly analyzing vast data sets to suggest ingredient combinations that can improve taste, nutrition, and sustainability, accelerating our ability to bring to the market innovative products that meet consumers’ expectations. In scientific research, advanced AI models will help our experts to analyze and interpret vast amounts of scientific literature and data, turning key insights into groundbreaking innovations more quickly and efficiently.”
Meanwhile, enhanced R&D expertise in “cutting-edge biotechnology and clinical research will lead to new nutritional solutions,” claimed the firm. “This will further bolster Nestlé’s consumer-centric innovation pipelines for maternal, early life and medical nutrition, and support new growth platforms such as healthy longevity, women’s health and weight management.
“Science-based solutions will also be leveraged for Nestlé’s pet care business, including pet therapeutics.”
‘Highly effective bioactives and biotics’
New capabilities include the development of the next generation of screening assays, enhanced capabilities in precision fermentation, plus a reenforced clinical research program, said the firm. “These competences will drive significant advances in precision nutrition and the development of new generations of highly effective bio-actives and biotics including post- and synbiotics.”
CTO Stefan Palzer added: “The industry-leading biotechnology capabilities will deliver new ingredients with clinically proven bio-efficacy for precision nutrition for people and pets along their entire lifespan.”
‘A leaner R&D organization’
The company did not provide any details about how the center would be funded or resourced, although it implied that existing resources would be redeployed to pay for it: “These investments will be unlocked by a leaner R&D organization, more agile ways of working, a focused project portfolio and the redeployment of existing R&D resources.”
The spokesperson added: “The Nestlé System Technology Center will evolve into our center of excellence for deep tech. The existing capabilities in sensor technology, artificial intelligence, data processing, hardware components, virtual/mixed reality, robotics, and coding systems will become an integral part of the new deep tech center. The existing activities around systems development for portioned coffee will be transferred to our R&D center for Coffee.”
