A brand new facility has opened at Budweiser’s Samlesbury site which the brewer says represents its ‘commitment to sustainable brewing in the UK’.
Budweiser Brewing Group UK & Ireland (BBG) has announced the opening of a brand new facility in South Ribble.
Budweiser has officially opened a new state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility at its Samlesbury Brewery, as part of a wider £7.8 million investment into the site
The official opening took place during the brewer’s special Cheers To Nature event held at its Samlesbury Brewery, celebrating the company’s progress towards its global 2025 sustainability goals, which included significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and brewing with 100% operational renewable electricity in the UK.
The new treatment facility, which strengthening BBG’s commitment to sustainable brewing in the UK, was officially opened by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Minister Dearden MP and Ribble Valley MP, Maya Ellis, with Deputy Mayor of South Ribble, Councillor Caleb Tomlinson also in attendance.
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The Samlesbury Brewery recently expanded to increase brewing capacity, which was supported by a £7.8 million investment in 2025.
This expansion included the new on-site wastewater treatment facility, built by Global Water & Energy, and is designed to further strengthen the brewery’s commitment to protecting one of its most valuable resources: water.
This is in alignment with Samlesbury’s local water service company, United Utilities, as site designs needed to be updated to pre-treat wastewater before discharge through biological processes.
As part of the on-site water treatment process, organic material is broken down, which as a result, produces biogas as a by-product.
This is reinjected into the brewery’s energy system and used as renewable heat.
As a result, the brewery has reduced gas consumption by 5-8% and lowered CO₂ (Scope 1) emissions.
Globally, the brewer says it has improved global water use by 22.7% per hectolitre since 2017, and in high stress areas achieved a water use efficiency of 1.95 hl/hl; an improvement of 31.3% since 2017.
Opening the water treatment facility, Minister Dearden said: “It was a pleasure to visit the Samlesbury brewery and see first-hand Budweiser Brewing Group’s significant investment in sustainable brewing and in the local economy. The site plays an important role in supporting the pubs and hospitality sector, and this investment helps strengthen the long-term resilience of an industry that sits at the heart of communities across the UK.”
Maya Ellis MP added: “AB InBev’s Samlesbury Brewery is a major employer in my constituency and has continued to invest in its facilities, demonstrating confidence and long-term commitment in the area. I was pleased to welcome the Employment Rights Minister, Kate Dearden, to Ribble Valley to join me in officially opening the wastewater treatment plant, which will dramatically strengthen the business as a sustainable brewer.”
Uli Ombregt, CEO of Global Water & Energy said: “At Global Water & Energy, we are proud to have delivered a wastewater treatment and biogas recovery solution that supports AB InBev’s operational needs while contributing to its sustainability ambitions. By turning wastewater into renewable energy, this project shows how industrial water treatment can create real environmental and operational value.”
Yleni De Neve, Sustainability Director, Europe at AB InBev, said: “Our significant investments in Samlesbury underlines our long-term commitment to brewing great beer locally in a way that continues to protect the natural resources that businesses and communities depend on. Water is the most important ingredient in our beers, and this new wastewater treatment facility will help us further reduce our environmental impact while supporting the resilience of our operations in the North West, and the UK more broadly.
“As part of AB InBev, we are proud to contribute to global progress in water stewardship and climate action, including significant improvements in efficiency and water savings across our breweries. Building on decades of brewing heritage, this latest investment strengthens the site’s role in the community as a sustainable manufacturing hub and a positive force in the regional economy.”
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Alongside progress in water stewardship, Budweiser Brewing Group says it continues to advance its wider sustainability commitments.
In the UK specifically, the company has reduced Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions per hectolitre by over 44% since 2017, and absolute Scopes 1 and 2 emissions by over 37% since 2017.
This progress is complemented by brewing with 100% operational renewable electricity in the UK in 2025, and 100% of the company’s products were in packaging that is returnable or made from majority recycled content in 2025.
Samlesbury Brewery has been brewing since 1972 and today employs around 500 people, making it a significant contributor to the North West economy.
In 2021, £45 million was invested at the site, reinforcing its role as a long-term manufacturing hub and local employer.
This latest phase of investment builds on that foundation, strengthening both environmental performance and regional impact.
