Nestle suspends trade on all products in Azerbaijan amid reports of corruption

07-Mar-2012 - Last updated on 07-Mar-2012 at 08:59 GMT

Food giant Nestle has confirmed to ConfectioneryNews.com that it has suspended trade on its entire product range in Azerbaijan due to ‘supply problems’.

National press reports suggested the catalyst was evidence of systematic corruption between Nestle’s supply company Aylin and Azerbaijan’s custom authorities following a regional audit by Nestle.

Marina Zibareva, corporate communications manager for Nestle Rossiya LLC, based in Russia told this site: “Nestlé has decided to suspend supply of its products to Azerbaijan as of January 1, 2012 due to some supply problems.”

She said that Nestle stock currently in trade would be enough to cover demand for a few months, but set no date when supply to Azerbaijan would resume

“We undertake all efforts to resume delivery to Azerbaijan as soon as possible,” she said.

Nestle has no factories in the country and its products are supplied to the market through local distributors.

“The difficulties with supply of Nestlé products concern only Azerbaijan. The company continues supplying in all other CIS countries,” said Zibareva.

She said that Nestle was refraining from further comment at this stage.