The US division of AB InBev has confirmed a “US$20m-plus” funding injection in breweries in its “home” state of Missouri.
The investment, part of Anheuser-Busch’s ‘Brewing Futures’ initiative, will be spent on upgrading brewery and packaging equipment at sites in Arnold and St Louis – the latter of which is also the location of the division’s headquarters. The money will be used to “fuel” production of Michelob Ultra and Busch Light, and build a new ‘technical skills training centre’ in St Louis.
“We’ve proudly called St Louis and the state of Missouri home for more than 165 years, and our commitment to strengthening this community and making a positive impact across the state has never been stronger,” said Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth.
“Investments at this scale in our facilities and our people ensure that our St Louis brewery remains at the heart of Anheuser-Busch, supporting continued growth and driving economic prosperity in our hometown for decades to come.”
‘Brewing Futures’ was launched last year to create and sustain manufacturing jobs for Anheuser-Busch employees. The programme initially promised a $300m investment for the Bud Light brewer’s US manufacturing operations across 2025 and 2026, although the figure was doubled to $600m in April.
Last month, Anheuser-Busch announced a US$5.8m spend on a facility in Virginia. This was prefaced by a $5m investment in its Columbus, Ohio brewery a week prior, and a $30m operational upgrade for a Jacksonville, Florida brewery and canning plant in January.
