DB Breweries has completed a $30 million upgrade to its Waitematā brewing and packaging facilities as part of its strategy to enhance production capacity and adapt to evolving consumer preferences. The investment, funded by the company’s parent Heineken International, involved modernising key equipment to boost efficiency and support future growth.
The upgrade included the installation of two new fermenter tanks, each 25 meters tall with a capacity of 300,000 litres—approximately double the size of the brewery’s previous largest tanks. These additions increase the brewery’s overall brewing capacity substantially. Existing tanks on site can hold millions of litres before products move to filtration and bottling stages.
Significant improvements were also made to the bottling line, which can now fill about 30,000 bottles per hour, a 30 percent increase compared to the previous capacity. Enhancements on the canning line include new, faster packers designed to provide greater flexibility across multiple can formats and pack configurations, including four, six, eight, and 10-pack options. Before the upgrade, some pack formats were completed manually, limiting productivity.
The installation process required about six to seven weeks, during which the brewery’s manufacturing operations were temporarily halted. A team of European specialists was brought in to assist with the installation, handling most tasks aside from electrical work. In preparation for the shutdown, DB Breweries increased production volumes to meet demand.
Peter Hart, managing director of DB Breweries, described the upgrade as a key step to future-proof the company’s operations and maintain competitiveness in the long term. He emphasized the importance of the Waitematā facility to the company’s overall manufacturing capability and its position to respond to changing market trends.
Darron Curphey, the company’s supply chain director, noted the upgrades would significantly improve packing efficiency and productivity. The improvements align with market growth, particularly in the expanding segment of low-carb beers, which remain the fastest-growing category within New Zealand’s beer industry.
In addition to the Waitematā upgrade, DB Breweries recently announced plans to introduce zero-alcohol beer on tap at more than 300 hospitality venues nationwide by the end of the year, reflecting shifting consumer demand for a broader product range.