Heineken joint venture is preparing to inaugurate the first large-scale brewery in the GCC in Dubai, as the region has traditionally been considered a reserve in terms of liberalisation of laws on the production and sale of alcoholic beverages.
Sirocco, a venture of Heineken and Dubai based Maritime and Mercantile International will begin construction of the brewery by the end of the first quarter of 2025 and currently has all the licenses, a report says. Construction is planned to be completed during the year 2027.
Construction Plans and Timeline
Construction of the brewery is expected to start in the end of 2025 with the work to be completed in 2027. Heineken which together with the Dubai’s based MMI formed Sirocco Brewery already has all the permits to start implementing such a big plan.
The venture that has been supplying alcohol in UAE for nearly two decades state that the local production will guarantee higher capacity production to meet the increased demand in a region that receives more than 17 million tourists every year.
For over two decades Dubai the prominent business and tourism location in the Middle East has allowed the consumption and sale of alcohol. More recently, the city extended those rules in parallel with its developing tourist appeal even more.
The city hosted 10.6 million international and domestic tourists in the first half 2024, up by 8% compared to the first half of 2023. This comes after a quick bounce back from the pandemic, where Dubai recorded a total of 17.3 million visitors in 2023.
In February last year, Dubai also banned 30% tax on beer and made licenses to import and sell liquor free of charge in an effort to reinforce the emirate as the Middle East’s premier commerce and tourism destination.
The company plans to brew Heineken, Kingfisher, Amstel and Birra Moretti in Dubai and the company will be increasing its workforce given that from 60 full-time employees in future will employ 190 full-timers.
Dubai: An Emerging Centre for Beverage Development
Dubai maintains its image as the city that is suitable for business and tourism due to strategic investment in infrastructure a regulatory improvements. Formation of the region’s first big brewery is a move that gives sound testimony to Dubai’s readiness and commitment to spearhead economic diversification and attract global investment.
For Heineken, apart from establishing its brand in the GCC, it shows the company’s belief in the strength of the Dubai market. While millions more continue their annual visits to this vibrant metropolis, local production of world-class brands places Heineken to lead in an evolving and competitive market.