The Heineken Group has officially inaugurated the expansion of its brewery in Igarassu, Pernambuco, with an investment of BRL 1.2 billion (USD 225 million). The inauguration ceremony on August 6, 2025, was attended by government officials including Governor Raquel Lyra and Mayor Elcione Ramos, alongside company executives. The project has tripled the plant’s production capacity, making it the largest producer of Amstel in Northeast Brazil. The facility will also strengthen the supply of Devassa and the soft drink FYS across the states of Pernambuco, Bahia, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Paraíba, Sergipe, and Alagoas.
The expansion comes in response to strong demand, with Amstel recording about 15% growth in the first half of 2025. Pernambuco has become Heineken’s second-largest market in the Northeast, with brand availability in more than 90% of key outlets. The construction phase created over 700 temporary jobs, while the expanded operations generated 130 new permanent positions.
Sustainability was a central pillar of the project. Over the past three years, the Igarassu brewery has reduced its water consumption by 30% through advanced treatment systems and now operates entirely on renewable biomass energy. A 45% increase in returnable glass bottle capacity makes it the company’s largest returnables line in Brazil. “Consolidating an investment of this magnitude not only strengthens the presence of our core portfolio in the region, but also reinforces our commitment to the sustainability agenda and local economic development,” said Mauro Homem, Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Affairs.
Beyond Igarassu, Heineken is implementing a BRL 1.5 billion (USD 280 million) expansion program in Brazil that includes a 60% capacity increase at the Alagoinhas brewery and a nationwide boost to returnable packaging. The company has also invested BRL 8 million (USD 1.5 million) in a glass circularity hub in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, working with local cooperatives, and continues to promote urban microforests and recycling initiatives in Recife and Fernando de Noronha.
Leadership at Igarassu also reflects the group’s diversity goals. In 2024, Fernanda Rocha was appointed brewery director, joining Heineken’s drive to achieve 50% female representation in leadership roles in Brazil by 2026. Rocha, a chemical engineer with previous experience at Nestlé, Unilever, Mars, and Solvay, now heads one of the company’s most important and environmentally advanced breweries in the country.
