Portuguese sausage producer Nobre, which was bought by US food giant Sara Lee in 1993, has announced plans to invest €5m (US$5.4m) in the modernisation of its production facilities this year.

Nobre genereated turnover of €70m in 2002 and sold nearly 20,000 tonnes of sausage products, up 6% year-on-year. The company expects to increase its turnover in 2003, and plans to expand its product range, reported the Portuguese News Digest.

The company said Europe would remain its main target export market, with Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the UK its most important European markets. Nobre also exports to Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique.