Heineken to invest £126m in UK

Heineken is to invest £126 million into expanding its UK operations; £50m at its Manchester brewery, £58m at its Hereford Cider plant and a further £18m on upgrading its UK pubs.

The brewer said the investment at its Hereford plant would create a world class cider production facility capable of supporting Heineken’s growth in the cider market and allow it to scale up exports, while securing 270 jobs, with work set to complete in 2016.

Production capacity at Heineken’s Manchester Brewery will be increased to two million hectolitres per annum (around 350 million pints) thanks to an investment of £50m, creating 240 jobs, with work set to complete by the summer of 2015.

David Forde, UK managing director of Heineken, said: “Heineken is the UK’s leading beer & cider business, a position that we are proud of and determined to build upon. These major investments are a clear demonstration of our long-term commitment to the UK.

“Heineken is committed to the UK marketplace and investing in the right infrastructure to ensure that we can continue to delight our consumers day-in and day-out with fantastic cider and beer experiences.”

A further £18.5m will be spent on upgrading the company’s 1,250 Star Pubs & Bars, which includes 60 to 70 major refurbishments as well as more than 100 external signage and redecoration schemes.