HEINEKEN UK has cut carbon emissions intensity at its Manchester Brewery by 42% following a £28.2 million investment in large-scale industrial heat pump technology. The results cover July to December 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, and coincide with a 33% reduction in on-site natural gas consumption. The heat pump network, commissioned in June 2025 after installation began in 2023, is now embedded across the brewery. As HEINEKEN’s largest UK brewing site, producing around 2.5 million pints each day, Manchester offers a substantial test case for lower-carbon beer production at industrial scale.
Heat Pumps Reduce Gas Use
The Manchester installation is the first retrofit of its scale within HEINEKEN’s global operations. It reduces the site’s need for natural gas for on-site heating, cutting its dependence on fossil fuels while supporting greater resilience against energy market volatility.
The project was funded through HEINEKEN UK capital investment alongside £3.7 million from the government’s Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. It has entered a 12 to 18-month optimisation period, during which the company expects to refine system performance and identify further efficiency gains across operations.
Measured emissions figures relate to Scope 1 and 2 emissions, with the brewery’s 2024 and 2025 carbon footprints independently verified by the Carbon Trust Assurance in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. This verification provides a robust basis for assessing the site’s progress following commissioning.
A Major Brewery Test Case
Manchester Brewery employs more than 240 people and produces Heineken®, Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo®, Foster’s, Amstel and Red Stripe. The site celebrated 150 years of brewing in 2025, placing the heat pump programme within one of the UK brewing sector’s most established production facilities.
The installation has drawn interest from brewing and manufacturing businesses because of the scale of its application. HEINEKEN UK reports that the heat pumps are already achieving, on average, 80% of the estimated on-site gas reduction, demonstrating the practical contribution electrified heat can make in a process-intensive environment.
Chris Kerr, Supply Chain Director at HEINEKEN UK, said:
“Decarbonising a brewery requires a combination of technology and skill, and is a complex challenge facing our industry. This project marks a step-change in how energy can be generated and used in our Manchester Brewery and has impacted every part of our operations from inception to launch. It has been transformational for one of the largest breweries in the UK.
“Our team at Manchester are truly at the heart of this project and they have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this possible, adapting day-to-day while continuing to brew brilliant beer. Their support, drive and ability to continuously optimise the system to our specific requirements is what’s helping us decarbonise brewing while continuing to innovate at our historic brewery.
“We’re confident in the heat pumps’ continued positive performance with the installation already achieving on average 80% of the estimated on-site gas reduction. This is a blueprint not just for us at HEINEKEN UK, but for the wider brewing and manufacturing sectors, demonstrating how investment in low-carbon technology can deliver both environmental benefits and long-term operational resilience.”
Public And Private Investment
The £3.7 million grant from the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund has helped accelerate the deployment of the technology at Manchester. The combined funding model reflects the role public support can play in enabling capital-intensive decarbonisation projects within established industrial sites.
For high-volume manufacturers, heat demand remains a central operational emissions issue. The Manchester project shows how targeted investment can bring modern heating infrastructure into existing facilities while maintaining day-to-day production.
Sonia Thimmiah, Corporate Affairs Director at HEINEKEN UK, said:
“Our Brew A Better World strategy is all about turning ambitions into actions. The progress we’ve made at Manchester shows how global brewers can decarbonise whilst showcasing the leadership role our industry can play in the transition to net zero.
“Private sector investment into decarbonisation initiatives is accelerated when supported by the public sector. It is through this collaborative approach with government that we can continue to drive innovation like we have in Manchester.
“With the right support in place, projects like HEINEKEN Manchester show that meaningful change is possible and that brewing can play a real role in accelerating a lower-carbon future.”
Supporting Net Zero Ambitions
The Manchester results contribute to HEINEKEN’s global Brew a Better World sustainability strategy, including its ambition to reach net zero across the value chain by 2040. At site level, the heat pump network supports the company’s ambition to reach net zero carbon in Scope 1 and 2 emissions.
With measured reductions now established and optimisation under way, the brewery provides a compelling example of how established manufacturing assets can reduce their carbon intensity without stepping back from production. HEINEKEN UK’s Manchester investment places low-carbon heat firmly within the operational conversation for breweries and other energy-intensive industries.
