Carlsberg opens 27th brewery in China
Carlsberg's new brewery features a canning line with a capacity of 90,000 cans per hour. Image: Carlsberg
On 28 August, Carlsberg Group officially opened its 27th brewery in China. The new brewery illustrates the Carlsberg Group’s strategy to invest in key growth markets, including China, India and Vietnam.
“At a time when our company is increasing our long-term growth ambitions, we are committed to accelerating strategic investments to enable long-term growth in China,” said Henrik Poulsen, chairman of the Supervisory Board of Carlsberg Group, during the opening ceremony.
The brewery, located in the “Water Capital of China,” Foshan Sanshui, boasts an annual production capacity of 5 million hectolitres. The facility is equipped with two bottling production lines with a capacity of 48,000 bottles per hour, one canning line with a capacity of 90,000 cans per hour, and one keg beer line with a capacity of 90 barrels per hour. With brands such as Wusu, 1664 Blanc, Carlsberg and Tuborg being brewed in Foshan, the brewery plays an important role in growing the Carlsberg Group’s overall Premium portfolio in China, which a key value-creating opportunity for the group.
“With new technology and advanced brewing equipment, the brewery not only boosts production and ensures consistently high-quality brews but also supports our sustainability targets by integrating solar panels and an underground rainwater collection system,” said Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Carlsberg Group’s CEO.
The brewery has achieved several notable ‘firsts’ for Carlsberg.
The Foshan facility is the Carlsberg Group’s first “sponge brewery.” This innovative approach harnesses the Guangdong region’s abundant rainfall and is designed to collect and treat rainwater for use in landscaping, workshop cleaning, and non-contact production processes. Other environmental aspects of the brewery include a solar-powered air-conditioning system. In logistics and transportation, the Foshan Sanshui Brewery is Carlsberg Group’s first brewery to use 100% electric forklifts, promoting carbon reduction in transportation.
The Foshan Brewery will serve as home to the Carlsberg Group’s first Development Centre outside of Europe. It will offer new product development, trend analysis, flavour research, brewing technology, packaging package design, and professional testing. The Development Centre will serve as a hub for innovation, enhancing the Group’s ability to meet the evolving demands of the Asian market while improving operational efficiency and enabling innovations to get to market faster.
Carlsberg’s journey in China began more than 150 years ago, when founder, J.C. Jacobsen decided to ship the first boxes of Carlsberg beer to China, making it one of the company’s first international export markets.
Since then, Carlsberg China has continued to expand its presence, introducing new brands and opening new breweries. “The opening of the Foshan Brewery marks a new milestone for Carlsberg in China. Nearly 30 years ago, Carlsberg established its first brewery in China. With the Foshan Brewery, we are embarking on a new 30-year journey.” Said CK Lee, president of Carlsberg China.