Heineken spends billions on new Mexican brewery
Heineken has invested US$2.75 billion into building a new beer production facility in Kanasín, Yucatán in Mexico.
The project, which represents one of the company’s largest investments in Mexico in recent years, was made this week during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
The Yucatán beer plant project is anticipated to create more than 300 direct jobs, 2,500 indirect positions, and 2,300 temporary construction jobs. The brewery is set to open in 2027, according to Heineken CEO Oriol Bonaclocha.
Speaking at the conference, Yucatán governor Joaquín Díaz Mena said: “Today, from Yucatán, we celebrate a very important step that reaffirms the path the government of the Republic has set for development with justice, territorial balance, and shared well-being.”
The state already hosts one of Mexico’s largest beer production facilities in Grupo Modelo’s brewery in Hunucma, which opened in 2017 after receiving an investment of 8.5 billion pesos (US$443.7 million).
Located in the municipality of Hunucmá, Yucatán, Cerveceria Yucateca currently produces 220,000 cans and bottles of beer hourly for Corona, Modelo, Victoria, Leon and Montejo brands.
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Heineken has also estimated a yearly production of 1.9 billion units, with around 14% of the output—266 million bottles and cans—shipped to nine countries, including Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, France and the US.
The León and Montejo brands were originally brewed in Mérida, Yucatán, by the Cervecería Yucateca, which was bought by Modelo in 1979.
Heineken has insisted that sustainability would be central to the new facility’s operations. In line with Heineken’s global sustainability strategy ‘Brew a Better World’, the brewery will also implement water processes that will integrate circular economy practices to ensure water reuse through treatment systems.
The beer giant has also conducted community outreach, including indigenous consultations, to ensure the project considers Maya cultural values and environmental concerns.
Heineken assured that, despite the availability of water in southeastern Mexico, the new Yucatán plant will aim to use just two litres of water per litre of beer.
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