Anheuser-Busch announces US$14M investment in Houston brewery
USA – Anheuser-Busch has revealed plans to invest US$14 million in its Houston, Texas, brewery, which produces iconic beverages such as Busch Light and Budweiser.
This latest investment aims to enhance the facility’s efficiency and maintain quality standards while updating its manufacturing equipment.
The funding will be used for infrastructure upgrades, including replacing the warehouse roof, elevators, and doors.
Additional enhancements include installing new air rinsers on can lines to reduce water usage, upgrading the brewery’s wireless, fibre, and copper network connectivity, and improving overall operational efficiency.
Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, highlighted the broader community benefits of the investment, stating, “Through continued investments in our facilities like our Houston brewery, we’re improving our capabilities and also contributing to the prosperity of the communities we serve.”
This investment builds on a US$22.5 million upgrade to the Houston site, which improved the brewery’s cooling system, enhanced workplace safety measures, and reduced annual electricity consumption by over 2.18 million kWh.
Over the last five years, Anheuser-Busch has invested nearly US$2 billion across its U.S. facilities.
Recent upgrades include US$16 million for its Los Angeles brewery in September, US$6.5 million for its Williamsburg, Virginia, site in August, US$7 million for its Fairfield, California, facility in July, and US$15.5 million for its Fort Collins, Colorado, brewery in May.
The announcement comes just a week after Anheuser-Busch confirmed the closure of its malting operations in Moorhead, North Dakota, and the sale of grain elevators in West Fargo and Sutton.
The company has reached an agreement with Rahr Malting Co. to take over the capacity of the Moorhead facility, which opened in 1978 and processed millions of bushels of barley annually.
Anheuser-Busch reassured stakeholders that its relationships with over 250 Midwest farmers, who supply more than US$50 million worth of malting barley annually, would remain unaffected.
Nicole Zahradka, Director of Agronomy at Anheuser-Busch, stated, “We remain committed to supporting our grower partners and will continue to source directly from them as we have for the past 165 years.”
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