CANADA – Labatt Breweries of Canada, part of AB InBev, has announced a US$19.4 million investment in its London Brewery as part of its expansion plans that will see the addition of a new four-tank fermenting cellar and two new packers.
The London facility manufactures beverages under various brands, including household names such as Guinness, Bud Light, Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona.
Part of the investment ($9.8 million) will be allocated to funding addition of the four new fermenting cellars, increasing the capacity at the London brewhouse by 597,000 hectolitres per year.
The other US$9.5 million will fund two new packaging lines in the brewhouse, expanding the brewery’s operational capabilities.
The new lines will feature a packaging technology that uses sustainable paperboard, which enables products to be packaged with “significantly less” glue compared to previous models.
The lines also improve inspection capabilities in operations to ensure packaging is robust and meets the demands of Canadian consumers.
Jeff Ryan, the vice president of legal and corporate affairs for Labatt Breweries of Canada said, “Our London brewery is the largest in Labatt’s network, brewing over 40 per cent of the beer we brew for Canadians, and this significant investment boosts the facility’s production capacity and sustainability performance.”
The investment builds on the brewery’s $52.6 million investment in 2021 and is a part of Labatt’s ongoing commitment to invest in sustainable solutions and prepare its breweries for future growth.
Alex Martel, brewery manager at Labatt’s London facility, added: “The new packaging line at our London brewery will improve the way we package our products from both an environmental and quality assurance standpoint.
We are constantly doing what’s needed to ensure the brewery is prepared for future growth through production and environmental efficiencies, and this injection of capital will go a long way to optimise our brewery.”
Labatt Breweries of Canada is one of Canada’s most established businesses and its leading beverage company, with over 3,600 employees spread across its six key breweries; and four craft breweries.
The company has an unmatched portfolio of more than 60 quality beers, ready-to-rink and non-alcoholic products.
From 2019-2023 the company has invested nearly $80 million in Ontario, demonstrating Labatt’s ongoing commitment to the province.
The upgrades and expansions funded by Labatt’s capital investment program will benefit the brewery and the London community and help make operations more sustainable for years to come.
