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 finalizing construction of a new brewery in Passos, Minas Gerais, where test production began earlier this year. Built on a 100-hectare site, the plant is set to be officially inaugurated in November 2025 and will have an annual capacity of around five million hectoliters (inside.beer, 27.4.2022). It is designed as Heineken’s most sustainable brewery in Brazil and will create about 350 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs, strengthening the company’s presence in the country’s interior regions.
In addition, 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.
Brazil today represents one of Heineken’s key global markets and the third-largest beer market in the world after the United States and China. Since acquiring Brasil Kirin in 2017, the group has become the second-largest brewing company in Brazil, with a market share of roughly 20% and 15 breweries spread across the country. Its portfolio, led by Heineken, Amstel and Devassa, continues to gain ground, supported by strong investments in capacity, sustainability, and innovation.
