Nestlé to provide funding for Expo 02

Nestlé headquarters in Vevey is providing money for Expo 02 Keystone

The organisers of the beleaguered national exhibition, Expo 02, received another boost on Wednesday after the Swiss food giant, Nestlé, announced that it plans to contribute SFr10 million to the project.

Earlier this week, the Swiss healthcare company, Novartis, pledged SFr15 million to the project.

According to a communiqué issued on Wednesday, Nestlé plans to contribute SFr 4 million towards a project called ExpoGames 02 – a sporting exhibit which is expected to take place in Yverdon-les-Bains.

The group confirmed that the remaining SFr6 million will be given to the city of Yverdon to go towards financing one of the Expo’s modular-style hotels.

The hotel, which has already been built, will be operational before, during and after the national exhibition takes place.

This week’s financial contributions from both Nestlé and Novartis have spelled good news for Expo organisers, after two major contributors recently withdrew their sponsorship.

In mid-February, the mobile telecommunications company, Orange withdrew its SFr15 million investment. That decision was soon followed by SAirGroup, Swissair’s parent company, which announced it was pulling out of a SFr6 million sponsorship agreement.

However, the Expo organisers have received strong backing from the govermnment and private enterprise, and say the national exhibition will open as planned in May next year.

swissinfo with agencies