Anheuser-Busch plans to invest more than $1.5 billion in its U.S. brewing, agriculture, packaging and distributing operations by 2018.
The beer company plans to spend an estimated $850 million on brewery and packaging expansion projects, $220 million on product innovation initiatives and $720 million in sustaining and increasing efficiency of its existing footprint.
In 2015, several projects are under way, including:
• $150 million expansion project at the St. Louis-area Metal Container Corp. facility to increase production of the Bud Light aluminum bottles.
• $45 million to build new can line and additional warehouse at the Fort Collins brewery to produce the slim, 12-oz. can style.
• $20 million in capital investments at the Los Angeles brewery to add new water efficiency and treatment capabilities.
• $18 million in investments at the Columbus brewery, including a sustainability project that will reduce energy needs by recovering heat for use in fueling the operation.
• $12 million invested in the company’s historic St. Louis brewery for various improvements, including projects to conserve resources and support new innovations.
• $11 million to develop and integrate new products, including Bud Light MIXXTAILs and Oculto across multiple breweries.