Belgium’s AB InBev doubles brewery capacity after a decade in Vietnam

The capacity of Belgian firm AB InBev’s brewery in the southern province of Binh Duong has doubled to 100 million liters per year after 10 years of operations.

Craig Maclean, managing director of AB InBev Southeast Asia, cited the figure while speaking at the company's 10-year anniversary ceremony in Binh Duong on Wednesday.

Vietnam is one of the top 10 beer-consuming markets in the world. For Vietnamese people, beer is not just a beverage - it's a part of social culture and connection. This is a key factor driving the firm's continued investment in Vietnam, he said.

Located in the VSIP II Binh Duong Industrial Park, the brewery was AB InBev's first facility established in Southeast Asia.

It is one of the 55 most advanced Budweiser breweries globally, with products sold in the Vietnamese market and seven other Southeast Asian countries.

With a total investment of $238 million, the Binh Duong brewery is equipped with AB InBev’s most advanced automated production lines. All steps, from brewing, fermentation, filtration, and cooling to bottling, canning, and packaging, see minimal manual work.

A standout feature is its Siemens Braumat system - an industry-specific process control platform that meticulously monitors each stage of fermentation, filtration, and packaging.

The plant has gradually established a sustainable production ecosystem through energy-saving and water conservation initiatives.

The first phase of its solar power system has been operational since 2020. By 2025, the second phase is expected to double the current solar capacity. Additionally, an electric boiler system has been integrated to maximize the use of renewable energy.

Water - a critical resource in beer production - is also being used more efficiently through a rigorous recovery and control system.

Since 2020, water usage has been reduced by 54%, approaching the company’s global target of consuming less than 2 liters of water per liter of beer by the end of 2025.

The brewery’s advanced CO2 recovery system (reboiler) enhances gas capture efficiency and reduces emissions, reflecting AB InBev’s commitment to lowering its carbon footprint across the production chain.