Nestlé has constructed a quality control laboratory in the city of Araras as part of its strategy to expand into organic portfolio in Brazil, which will help the company to cater for the whole Latin American region.

Last month, Nestlé informed Reuters it was rolling out its organic food line in Brazil to cater to the increasing interest in healthy and organic products.

The new lab, which costs R$23m ($6.95m), will help the company to implement its strategy.

Nestlé’s head of quality for the Americas Fabien Robert told Reuters: “When you make a commitment to the consumer that it’s organic, it has to be organic. You have to make sure it’s pesticide free.”

“When you make a commitment to the consumer that it’s organic, it has to be organic. You have to make sure it’s pesticide free.”

The laboratory will enable the firm to carry out tests for pesticides and genetically modified oranisms, and will replac the existing Sao Paulo laboratory.

It will also account for a 10% increase in analytical capacity over existing lab facility, which is expected to expand in the future.

According to Robert, the facility will serve Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, and later cover all of Latin America, and may help regions such as Africa.

Robert said: “It will probably go beyond and be a platform for the whole region.”