Anheuser-Busch spends $13M to upgrade Georgia brewery

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.
• In 2021, Anheuser-Busch announced it would invest more than $1 billion in its U.S. facilities during the next two years.

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 its 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 what is expected to be 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. As food and beverage companies spend money to build new facilities or expand existing ones, a major focus of these investments is often centered around lowering their environmental footprint while saving money at the same time. Projects incorporating green goals have been announced recently by PepsiCo, Cargill and Kraft Heinz.

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.