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AB InBev’s Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I subsidiary has announced a more than £115 million investment in its two major UK breweries to increase capacity and efficiency.

The investment aims to enable the brewer meet the growing demand for beer – which it says reached record sales levels last year in the off-trade – and help drive post-pandemic economic recovery.

Budweiser Brewing Group says that the projects at the sites in South Wales and Lancashire will create 55 jobs by the end of the year.

The primary focus of the investment will be installing modern and eco-friendly infrastructure at the company's Magor and Samlesbury breweries to increase capacity in brewing, canning and bottling by a total of 3.6 million hectolitres.

The Magor brewery in South Wales is receiving a £72 million investment, with improvements already underway. These include a new bottling line, brewery-wide efficiency improvements, eight new fermenting units and an improved wort cooler, which is expected to result in significant energy savings.

Meanwhile, the brewer’s Samlesbury facility is receiving a £45 million investment, which will include the installation of a new canning line for sustainable plastic ring-free cans, brewery-wide efficiency and equipment improvements, and modifications in brewing, utilities and logistics to increase brewing capacity.

Paula Lindenberg, president, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I, said: “Like many in the UK, we are focused on a strong recovery of our economy, our communities and our country. By investing in our breweries with new roles and new technology to increase capacity, we’re ensuring that we can brew and deliver great beers for many years to come.

“We know the beer industry is hugely valuable to the UK economy, and we believe our investments in our UK operations will be a catalyst for the recovery post-Covid.”

Lord Gerry Grimstone, UK Minister for Investment, said: “Budweiser Brewing Group’s investment is great news for South Wales and Lancashire, supporting local jobs and helping the nation build back better from the Covid-19 crisis.

“The UK remains extremely attractive to international investors and this £115 million investment is further testament to our fantastic beer industry.”

Last year, Budweiser Brewing Group UK&I announced that the barley used for its UK-produced beers is now 100% sourced from British farms.