Anheuser-Busch, the U.S. brewing arm of AB InBev, has announced a significant consolidation of its domestic production network, confirming the sale of its long-standing Newark, New Jersey brewery and the planned closure of facilities in Fairfield, California, and Merrimack, New Hampshire in early 2026. The moves are part of a broader effort to streamline operations and concentrate output at fewer, more modern sites.
The Newark brewery, which began operations in 1951 and ranks among the company’s longest-running plants, is to be sold to property developer Goodman Group, which intends to repurpose the site for industrial and logistics uses. Production volumes from Newark, Fairfield and Merrimack will be transferred to other U.S. breweries, a shift the company says will allow further investment in remaining operations and its portfolio of core and growth brands.
Across the three sites, around 475 full-time employees are affected. All have been offered relocation to other U.S. facilities, including financial support and retraining options, while those declining transfers will receive severance packages. The company stressed that the consolidation is not linked to individual brand performance and will not affect product availability or the St. Louis headquarters and flagship operations.
The restructuring follows several years of capital spending aimed at upgrading U.S. manufacturing. According to company statements, nearly USD 2 billion has been invested across more than 100 domestic facilities over the past five years, including recent projects in states such as Georgia and New York. Management argues that concentrating production will improve efficiency as U.S. beer volumes remain under pressure.
Industry observers note that the announcement comes amid a broader contraction in parts of the U.S. brewing landscape, with closures increasingly outpacing new openings, particularly among smaller producers. For Anheuser-Busch, the consolidation also coincides with portfolio expansion beyond beer, including the recently confirmed acquisition of a majority stake in BeatBox, underscoring a strategic shift toward higher-growth segments alongside a leaner brewing footprint.
