Dive Brief:
- AB InBev’s Anheuser-Busch spent $13 million this year on capital projects at its Cartersville Brewery, which is about 45 miles northwest of Atlanta.
- The investments helped strengthen the brewery’s beyond beer and craft production capabilities, as well as upgrade infrastructure and equipment needed to help sustain the longevity of the facility, the company stated in a press release on Monday.
- The Missouri-based beer manufacturer’s announcement builds on the success of its last $1 billion U.S. facilities expansion program in 2021.
Dive Insight:
While Anheuser-Busch receives most of its attention for brews such as Bud Light and Michelob Ultra, an increasingly important part of its future centers around its craft business and Beyond Beer portfolio. Offerings in these two categories include Kona Big Wave for craft, and hard seltzers, canned wines and canned cocktails for beyond. The investment in Carterville will help the brewer meet anticipated growing consumer demand for these beverages in the future.
In addition to production, the $13 million investment is going toward energy systems upgrades that will increase efficiency and reduce fuel usage. Other major food and beverage companies, like PepsiCo, Cargill and Kraft Heinz, are also spending money to build new facilities or expand existing ones while lowering their environmental footprint and saving money at the same time.
The upgrades to the Carterville plant built on the company’s more than $1 billion investment to expand U.S. operations and jobs in 2021 across 26 states. Nearly $100 million went towards sustainability projects including solar panel installments and water treatment.
Beer consumption has been falling during much of the last decade, prompting alcohol giants such as AB InBev and Molson Coors to expand their portfolios to include more beverage options that meet a wider variety of consumer preferences. With shoppers continuing to look for more choices, it’s prudent for companies to have enough capacity in their system to respond to it in the future.
