Heineken is planning to open a brewery in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) through Sirocco, its joint venture with Maritime and Mercantile International, in what would be the first large-scale brewery in the Gulf countries.
The center would begin construction at the end of 2025 after having already obtained the necessary permits and would open its doors in 2027, as reported by the chain.Bloomberg‘.
The news may be surprising because the United Arab Emirates is a Muslim country and has restricted alcohol consumption (not for foreigners). Precisely, the authorities of the Gulf country yesterday justified the decision to host the brewery by their desire to diversify the economy beyond the export of hydrocarbons, with a focus on tourism.
In this sense, official data show that Dubai received 10.6 million tourists in the first half of this year, 8% more, while 17.3 million visited the Arab city in 2023.
So things are, The production of this plant will be destined primarily to the tourism and financial sector, to those restaurants, resorts and hotels that foreigners frequent and where alcohol is sold. Outside of these places, access is very restricted, although the United Arab Emirates is one of the most flexible countries in the region in this matter. All Emiratis over 21 years of age can purchase alcohol, although they must have a license to do so.
Sirocco is a well-known company in the region, having been supplying the Emirati market for almost two decades. With the opening of this plant, the company hopes to satisfy a growing demand for brands such as Heineken, Kingfisher, Amstel or Birra Moretti and expand its workforce from 60 to 190 full-time workers, according to Europa Press.
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