Bulgaria: Carlsberg Bulgaria planning $11.4 mln investments in new facility

Carlsberg Bulgaria, a unit of the eponymous Danish brewer, is injecting 23 million levs ($11.4 million/11.75 million euro) of own funds in the construction of a new facility that will expand its production operations, the ministry of innovation said on October 14, SeeNews reported.

Carlsberg Bulgaria's investment involves the construction of a new building in the city of Blagoevgrad, in southwestern Bulgaria, which will be equipped with latest technologies including a new CAN line for the production of 0.5 litre beer cans, the ministry said in a press release.

The facility, which is expected to start operations in the first half of 2023, will allow Carlsberg Bulgaria, which produces Shumensko Pivo and Pirinsko brands, to further develop its product portfolio.

The brewer said in a separate statement that the investment will create up to 10 new jobs. The construction of additional related infrastructure to serve the CAN production line is also on the cards, Carlsberg Bulgaria said.

"With the new CAN line we plan to expand production and employment in the company because we believe that innovation and joint projects are the way to contribute to a more sustainable future. It will also allow us to we produce beer in cans here in Bulgaria, instead of importing them from neighbouring countries," Carlsberg Bulgaria CEO Wojciech Zabinski said.

The Danish group's Bulgarian subsidiary has breweries in Shumen, in north-eastern Bulgaria, and in Blagoevgrad, and also imports products from the beer brands Erdinger and Tuborg as well as Somersby cider.

Last month, the government's InvestBulgaria Agency announced the approval of four new investment projects which will be worth over 75 million levs in total, including Carlsberg Bulgaria's project.

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