World’s biggest brewer announces at Davos expansion to its Karnataka outfit

Anheuser-Busch InBev (Ab InBev), the world’s biggest beer company headquartered in Belgium, has unveiled plans to invest about US$50 million to enhance and expand its brewery in the state of Karnataka, India.

The announcement was made during Day Three of the summit of the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Ab InBev India & South Asia President Kartikeya Sharma and Budweiser APAC’s chief legal and corporate affairs officer Craig Katerberg met with Karnataka’s Industries Minister MB Patil.

Ab InBev’s investment will be injected into the company’s Karnataka brewery in Mysore, which produces Budweiser Premium, Budweiser Magnum, and Hoegaarden beers.

In 2022, the brewing giant announced it would be investing around US$60.6 million in its India business to expand production capacity. AB InBev has indicated that it expects the new expansion to create substantial “direct and indirect” employment opportunities in the state. As of the end of 2023, the Karnataka factory employed about 2,000 people.

Karnataka is considered among India’s top beer markets. According to the latest industry estimates, the state consumes around 3.8 hectolitres of beer annually, which is roughly 11% of the national total. Aside from AB InBev, other global beer makers that own breweries in Karnataka include United Breweries, Bira, and Carlsberg.

In India, AB InBev’s country headquarters is in Bangalore, but it has a presence across the country with sales offices, breweries, a Global Capability Centre, and a Growth Analytics Center. According to Kartikeya Sharma, president – India, AB InBev, the company also plans to expand its market presence for its gin, rum, whiskey, and non-alcoholic product categories, while continuing to maintain its strong presence in the country’s beer market.