Heineken announced this week the launch of a significant new brewery project in Yucatán, marking one of the company’s largest recent investments in Mexico. The announcement was made during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference.
The facility, slated to open in 2027, is expected to generate over 300 direct jobs, approximately 2,500 indirect employment opportunities, and 2,300 temporary construction positions, according to Heineken CEO Oriol Bonaclocha.
Yucatán Governor Joaquín Díaz Mena highlighted the project’s importance, stating, “Today, from Yucatán, we celebrate a very important step that reaffirms the path the government of the Republic has set for development with justice, territorial balance, and shared well-being.”
The new brewery will join the region’s existing beer production powerhouse, Grupo Modelo’s facility in Hunucmá, which opened in 2017 with an investment of 8.5 billion pesos (approximately US$443.7 million). Located in the same municipality, Cervecería Yucateca currently produces 220,000 cans and bottles per hour for brands including Corona, Modelo, Victoria, León, and Montejo.
Heineken projects an annual production capacity of 1.9 billion units at the new site, with roughly 14% of this output—around 266 million bottles and cans—destined for export to nine countries including Canada, Puerto Rico, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Guatemala, Colombia, Chile, France, and the United States.
The León and Montejo brands have historical roots in Yucatán, originally brewed in Mérida by Cervecería Yucateca before its acquisition by Modelo in 1979.
Sustainability will be a cornerstone of the new brewery’s operations. Adhering to Heineken’s global ‘Brew a Better World’ initiative, the facility will employ circular economy water treatment processes to promote water reuse. Despite the region’s water availability, the plant aims to maintain a water usage ratio of just two litres per litre of beer produced.
Additionally, Heineken has engaged in community consultations, including with indigenous Maya groups, to ensure the project respects local cultural values and addresses environmental concerns.
This strategic investment reinforces Yucatán’s growing role in Mexico’s beer industry while advancing sustainable manufacturing practices.
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