New Kildare plant strengthens Guinness supply and anchors almost €1bn decade long investment in Irish brewing and sustainability.
Diageo has officially opened its new Littleconnell Brewery in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, a €300 million investment that significantly expands Ireland’s role in the global production of Guinness and other leading beer brands, while setting the stage for a further €400 million development at the site.
The state‑of‑the‑art brewery was formally opened by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, TD,
alongside Diageo chief executive Sir Dave Lewis. Built in under 18 months on a 40‑acre site, Littleconnell is powered by 100% renewable electricity and is the centrepiece of Diageo’s almost €1 billion capital investment programme in Ireland between 2020 and 2029.
“The demand for Guinness and Guinness 0.0 is surging”
Construction of the facility supported around 650 jobs, with more than 50 highly skilled permanent roles created to operate the site. Enterprise Ireland supported the project, which Diageo says underlines its long‑term commitment to regional development and advanced manufacturing in Ireland.
The Littleconnell Brewery will produce a portfolio of ales and lagers including Rockshore, Harp, Smithwick’s and Kilkenny, as well as licensed beers such as Carlsberg, supplying both domestic and international markets. The plant strengthens Ireland’s position within Diageo’s global brewing network, particularly as demand rises across export markets.
Brewing up a storm
With planning permission already secured, Diageo has also confirmed plans for an additional €400 million investment at Littleconnell over the next three years.
Work is expected to begin in 2026 on a second facility, known internally as Brewery 2, which will be dedicated to brewing Guinness and Guinness 0.0. The new brewery will more than double the site’s overall capacity and support continued global growth of the stout and its non‑alcoholic variant.
The Kildare developments form part of a wider programme of investment underway across Diageo’s Irish operations. Capacity upgrades have already been completed at St James’s Gate in Dublin and at the company’s packaging facility in Belfast, both aimed at supporting growth in Guinness and Guinness 0.0. Further projects are planned at St James’s Gate as part of Diageo’s long‑term decarbonisation strategy.
Designed with sustainability at its core, Littleconnell incorporates advanced brewing and process technologies to reduce water and energy use. Diageo expects the site to avoid up to 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions each year compared with a conventional brewery of a similar scale, supporting the group’s global Spirit of Progress environmental commitments.
Opening the brewery, Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the project as a strong endorsement of Ireland’s economic and industrial outlook.
“Today’s opening of Diageo’s new Littleconnell Brewery in Co. Kildare is a powerful vote of confidence in Ireland and in our future as a world‑leading, sustainable food and drink exporter,” he said. “By choosing to invest at this scale in Ireland and to lead the way in next‑generation, low‑carbon brewing, Diageo is supporting skilled jobs, regional development and export growth, while helping Ireland advance its climate ambitions through innovation.”
Sir Dave Lewis said the investment was driven by the strength of global demand for Guinness.
“The demand for Guinness and Guinness 0.0 is surging. Today Diageo is proud to unveil our new state‑of‑the‑art brewery at Littleconnell, part of our €1 billion investment in Ireland,” he said. “How fitting that it is in County Kildare, the birthplace of Arthur Guinness.”
Colin O’Brien, Diageo’s Category Head for Global Beer Supply, said Littleconnell would play a central role in future exports. “Ireland plays a key role in Diageo’s global beer supply, and Littleconnell is central to enabling future growth in Guinness exports,” he said.
Enterprise Ireland chief executive Jenny Melia described the site as a “lighthouse project” for the wider food and drink sector, noting that it showcases Irish capabilities in advanced, lower‑carbon manufacturing and will help drive export-led growth in the years ahead.
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