Anheuser-Busch to invest $5.8M to expand Williamsburg brewery

St. Louis-based beer producer Anheuser-Busch Cos. announced Thursday it is investing $5.8 million to upgrade and expand its Williamsburg brewery.

The company — known as the maker of Michelob Ultra, Busch Light, Budweiser and Bud Light — opened its Williamsburg brewery in 1972. Today, the site produces nearly 400 different beer packages.

The investment will support increased production of Michelob Ultra, the nation’s top-selling beer, and fund a new technical skills training center in Williamsburg. The facility will be one of 15 the company plans to open nationwide to train workers in areas such as technical fundamentals, digital tools and electric and management systems. Anheuser-Busch said it wants to upskill more than 90% of its manufacturing workforce over the next five years.

The company has invested more than $50 million in the Williamsburg brewery over the past five years.

Details about the construction of the technical skills training center, how the investment would support increased production of Michelob Ultra, whether any jobs tied to the expansion would be created and a timeline for the project were not provided. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Williamsburg investment is part of the company’s broader Brewing Futures initiative, which calls for investing $600 million in U.S. operations in 2025 and 2026.

The company on Thursday also said it will continue working with the Manufacturing Institute’s Heroes Make America initiative to help servicemembers transition into manufacturing careers. The Williamsburg brewery employs the highest share of veterans among Anheuser-Busch’s U.S. facilities, with nearly 20% of its workforce made up of veterans or active-duty servicemembers.

“This investment in our Williamsburg brewery allows us to continue producing the highest-quality, American beers we have crafted for generations, while supporting jobs and economic growth in the communities where we operate,” Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth said in a statement. “By continuing to invest in places like Williamsburg, we reaffirm our longstanding commitment to the future of American manufacturing and to supporting veterans.”

On May 30, the Williamsburg brewery will celebrate Budweiser’s 150th anniversary and honor America’s 250th birthday with a public event from noon to 4 p.m. featuring brews, local food vendors and lawn games.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch owns and operates more than 120 facilities and has more than 19,000 employees in the United States.