With a capacity of 6 million hectolitres a year, the brewery will produce brands such as Tecate, Dos Equis and Heineken for Mexico and exports.
Heineken says the brewery has been constructed using circular economy principles: with a focus on renewable energy and efficient water use.
The brewery’s goal is to use two liters of water for every liter of beer produced by 2020 (its current global average is 3.6 liters of water per liter of beer).
Important market
Against a backdrop of struggling global beer volumes, the Mexican beer market has seen four years of consecutive growth.
Heineken saw mid single digit volume growth in Mexico in FY2017: with brand Heineken and Dos Equis enjoying double digit growth.
The Meoqui brewery becomes Heineken’s seventh facility in the country.
Jean-François van Boxmeer, CEO, Heineken, said: "Mexico is an important market for us. With a developing economy, a rich geographical and demographic diversity and a flourishing beer sector, we see great additional potential here. I am proud that the Meoqui brewery will be one of our biggest and 'greenest' breweries.”
The Meoqui brewery will use 100% renewable electricity, with windows containing photovoltaic cells to generate around 12% electricity for the site and wind power providing the remaining energy.
It also houses a wastewater treatment plant, which will allow the use of biogas in boilers and to reuse treated water for cleaning shared facilities and irrigating green spaces.