Nestlé has inaugurated a solar park in Szerencs with an annual output of 1.5 gigawatt-hours. The value of the Swiss company’s investment amounts to HUF 730 million (EUR 1.8 million).
The state supported the project with HUF 330 million (EUR 816,000) through the Factory Rescue Program. With the new solar park, Nestlé can now cover 30% of its own electricity needs.
To date, Nestlé has invested more than HUF 9 billion (EUR 22.2 million) in Szerencs, located in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County. The annual capacity of the plant for producing and packaging coffee and cocoa drink powders is nearly 40,000 tons, with 90% of the output destined for export. Around 500 people are employed at the site.
Nestlé has set a goal of halving its carbon footprint by 2030 and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Since 2017, its factories in Hungary have used electricity from renewable sources, and in Szerencs, recyclable packaging has been used for products since 2022. The Swiss-based company also operates a chocolate factory in Diósgyőr and a pet food production facility in Bük.
Nestlé Hungária Kft. reported a net turnover of HUF 283.3 billion (EUR 708 million) in 2023, and HUF 313 billion (EUR 774.7 million) in 2024. Its after-tax profit declined from HUF 2.7 billion (EUR 6.6 million) to HUF 629 million (EUR 1.5 million).