Nestle, Coke temporarily suspends production over Covid-19

The country’s two biggest foods and beverage giants Nestle and Coca-Cola announced that they will be suspending production on a temporarily at their plants. This is to be done with the exception of limited essential products, following the nation-wide lockdown amidst the Covid-19 scare.

Nestle, maker of our favourite Maggi noodles, Nescafe coffee, Cereal infant cereal and KitKat chocolate, said in a BSE filing that due to the countrywide lockdown, operations in some of its locations, inclusive of manufacturing, distribution centres, warehouses, offices and suppliers, have been temporarily suspended.

Nestle said, “The company is closely monitoring the situation and will take all necessary measures as directed by the government and authorities. The impact on the operations of the company cannot be assessed at this point,”  Although the India unit of the Swiss foods maker did not specify the products for which it was suspending manufacturing.

A Coca-Cola spokesperson said the company has temporarily suspended production at its manufacturing facilities. The maker of Coke and Thums Up soft drinks, Minute Maid juice and Kinley water, which has a large footprint of over 50 bottling operations including franchisee partners, will operate manufacturing facilities only for essential beverages such as water in very small numbers.

A nation-wide lockdown has been extended till 14th of April to contain the Covid-19 outbreak, with only essential services being made available.

Not just Nestle and Coke, Dabur too on Monday had said it is temporarily suspending production, except for essentials like ayurvedic medicines, Chyawanprash and sanitisers. The coming together of all these food and beverage giants to fight Coronavirus is indeed a great move all over the country to contain the disease outbreak.