Heineken to open GCC’s first brewery in Dubai – report

Dutch brewer Heineken joint venture is set to open the GCC’s first large-scale brewery in Dubai, a landmark development in a region with historically strict regulations on alcohol sales and consumption.

Sirocco, a joint venture of Heineken and Dubai-based Maritime and Mercantile International, will start building the brewery late next year and has secured all necessary permits, according to a Bloomberg report. Construction is set for completion in 2027.

The venture, which has been supplying alcohol in the UAE for nearly 20 years, says local production will boost output to meet growing demand in a market where more than 17 million tourists arrive each year.

Dubai, the Middle East’s business and tourism hub, has permitted alcohol consumption and sales for more than two decades. Recently, the city further relaxed its regulations, aligning with its growing tourism industry.

The city welcomed 10.6 million tourists in the first half of 2024, an 8% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This follows a strong recovery from the pandemic, with Dubai attracting 17.3 million visitors in 2023.

Earlier last year, Dubai also scrapped a 30 per cent tax on alcohol sales and made liquor licences free in an apparent attempt to bolster its status as the Middle East’s leading business and tourism hub.

Heineken will produce brands including Heineken, Kingfisher, Amstel and Birra Moretti in Dubai, and the company plans to expand its workforce to 190 full-time employees from 60 currently.

Read: Dubai’s tourism boom: 9.31 million visitors in H1 2024