Anheuser-Busch InBev is on a mission to sell you fresher beer.
Budweiser's makers said that they will invest $500 million in 2017 in order to lower shipping costs, become more sustainable, and make the beer fresher, reports USA Today. Typically, the company spends anywhere from $400 million to $450 million per year.
In a world where people can easily access fruit-infused, barrel-aged, quadruple IPAs, barleywines and anything else craft brewers can dream up, Anheuser-Busch is on a mission to compete with smaller breweries. The money will go toward technology, brewing, packaging, distribution and becoming eco-friendly.
"The company's Budweiser, Bud Light, Natural Light and other major brands have struggled to maintain relevance among many U.S. consumers, who have transitioned away from lagers and light American-style pilsners in favor of craft beer styles that have been popularized by U.S. microbreweries," IBISWorld analysts said in a report, according to USA Today. "However, the company remains an industry powerhouse and, as a result of its massive economies of scale, continues to yield the highest operating margins in the industry."
Indeed, there are 4,414 breweries in America this year, as beer snobbery remains both popular and accessible. In 2010, there were only 963 breweries. In 2022, experts expect there to be more than 8,000.
"The market continues to be very competitive and much more fragmented," AB InBev CEO Joao Castro Neves said. "We're making those investments to cope with all this additional complexity."
The company's supply vice president, Dave Taylor, said that you can expect to find "more freshness" in new Buds as the company implements a "less handling" policy.
"We are investing big behind this market because it's so important," said Castro Neves, according to The Chicago Tribune. "But also because we see growth opportunities."
According to The Tribune, the beer company will spend $2 billion through 2020 on improving its brands while also expanding into other ventures, like tea and alcoholic sparkling water.
Will $2 billion be enough to make Bud taste better? We'll see.