Case Study: Why Nestlé USA Chose Arlington, VA as its Corporate HQ
November 11, 2021
When Nestlé USA began its search for a new U.S. corporate headquarters location, company executives had several factors to consider. They wanted a strategic East Coast location with global proximity. They needed a large highly qualified talent pool and a superb quality of life. And since the company would be relocating from the West Coast, they wanted an attractive location as well - someplace the existing workforce would consider for relocation.
After a comprehensive search that spanned 20 cities, it became clear that Arlington, VA met Nestlé’s demanding criteria. In February of 2017, Nestlé USA announced it would move its U.S. headquarters to Arlington's Rosslyn neighborhood. The $39.8 million investment involved relocating up to 400 employees and hiring 600 additional employees. With the support of the Arlington Economic Development (AED) staff, the company proceeded with the relocation and leased 205,000 square feet of office space.
Why Arlington?
“We win or lose based on the talent you have and the culture you create that allows your talent to thrive and what we found in Arlington is the talent you need to win. It has exceeded our expectations, and we have been really pleased with what we’ve seen”
—Steve Presley, Chairman and CEO, Nestlé USA
Be Near Unrivaled East Coast Accessibility
Since most of Nestlé’s subsidiary brand facilities, including Purina and Nestlé Waters, are in the eastern portion of the country, the company was seeking a headquarters location that would provide easy, direct access along the entire East Coast. With a move to Arlington, Nestlé would now be within one to two hours of its facilities in major markets like Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta. Company leaders would also have more direct access (and be three time zones closer) to Nestlé’s world headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.
Proximity to Capitol Hill
Arlington’s prime East Coast location was just the start. Arlington stood out as the one community with prime access to leaders and policymakers on Capitol Hill, a key advantage for a company with sights on creating a healthier future for customers.
Top-Notch Talent
Arlington prides at having the most highly educated communities in the nation. Approximately 3/4 of Arlington’s population 25+ has a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the community also offers one of the best public school systems in the country. It includes and is surrounded by acclaimed colleges and universities and frequently leads the list as a top place to work for Millennials, women and tech professionals. These factors played a critical role in the company’s decision to relocate and grow its workforce.
How Arlington Helped
Retaining existing employees was a primary goal of Nestlé’s plan to relocate its headquarters from California to Arlington. To help ensure success, the AED team worked with Nestlé to craft hands-on relocation support services that introduced employees to all that Arlington and the surrounding D.C. region had to offer. Staff met directly with Nestlé employees before the relocation and then provided a series of familiarization tours throughout the area to personally introduce those employees to their new home.
Relocation Website
AED built a custom website for Nestlé employees to familiarize themselves with the D.C. region, offering details on commute times, public transit, housing options and even weekend leisure activities ranging from professional sports outings to local wineries and hiking trails. All of these measures helped employees get a better understanding of the region and all they could look forward to when relocating to the Arlington area.
Personal Introductions
AED connected Nestlé executives with partners and resources in the D.C. region to get them acclimated and operational quickly and efficiently.
Workforce Development
AED convened a panel of regional workforce partners (higher education, employment centers, workforce councils and veterans’ organizations) to meet with Nestlé’s human resource managers and recruiters to support Nestlé with its hiring needs and provide a pipeline of available employees.
Arlington: The Right Choice for Nestlé
Today, Nestlé occupies more than 300,000 square feet and boasts a premier Rosslyn address inside one of the tallest buildings in the D.C. region. Nestlé's new home also enjoys some of the best views of the D.C. skyline - a fitting feature for a company at such great heights.