- a few seconds ago
- 2 min read
Anheuser-Busch is investing $5 million in its brewery operations in Columbus, Ohio, as the brewer looks to increase production capacity for fast-growing Michelob ULTRA brands.
The investment will support expanded production of Michelob ULTRA, which the company describes as the nation’s top-selling and fastest-growing beer, as well as Michelob ULTRA Zero and Michelob ULTRA Zero Lime, part of the rapidly expanding non-alcoholic beverage category.
The Columbus brewery investment is part of the company’s broader Brewing Futures initiative, a $600 million commitment to U.S. operations scheduled across 2025 and 2026. The programme focuses on brewery modernisation, workforce development and manufacturing job creation across Anheuser-Busch’s national network.
Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch, said: “This investment in our Columbus Brewery strengthens our ability to brew the highest-quality American beers that consumers love, while creating and sustaining jobs in the communities where we operate. By continuously investing in our facilities and people, we are proud to help drive economic growth in communities like Columbus and reinforce our unwavering commitment to the future of American manufacturing.”
In addition to expanding brewing capacity, Anheuser-Busch is opening a new technical skills training centre at the Columbus campus.
The facility is one of 15 technical training centres the brewer plans to launch nationwide to support employee upskilling in mechanical and electrical systems. The company said it aims to upskill more than 90% of its manufacturing workforce over the next five years.
Ryan Augsburger, president of the Ohio Manufacturers' Association, said: “Anheuser-Busch’s Columbus investment puts that model into action by building technical skills, strengthening an iconic Ohio operation and helping keep Ohio manufacturing competitive.”
The training centre builds on the opening of a Regional Excellence Center at the Columbus brewery earlier this year and reflects a broader industry push toward advanced manufacturing and workforce retention amid ongoing labour shortages in food and beverage production.
Anheuser-Busch has operated its Columbus brewery for more than 50 years and said it has invested more than $71 million in the facility over the past five years.
