Manchester Brewery has recorded a 42 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions intensity after investing £28.2 million in large-scale heat pump technology driven by cutting natural gas consumption by a third. The reduction reflects the latest measured results since the system was commissioned last year, after installation work first began back in 2023.
The heat pump network is now fully embedded across the site, significantly reducing the brewery’s reliance on natural gas for on‑site heating and transforming how energy is generated and used. Through reducing natural gas use, the project is helping to reduce the brewery’s reliance on fossil fuels and strengthen its resilience against energy market volatility.
Manchester is home to HEINEKEN’s largest UK brewery, where it brews 2.5m pints a day of household favourites including Foster’s, Cruzcampo and Heineken. The project is the first retrofit of its kind at this scale within HEINEKEN’s global operations. Funded by a combination of capital investment and a government grant, the installation has attracted strong interest from across the brewing and manufacturing industries, with HEINEKEN UK pioneering this use of heat pump technology to tackle the complex challenge of decarbonising beer production. The heat pump network was commissioned in June 2025, and the project has now entered a 12–18-month optimisation phase, with further efficiency gains expected as performance continues to be fine-tuned and scaled across operations.
“Our Brew A Better World strategy is all about turning ambitions into actions,” said Sonia Thimmiah, Corporate Affairs Director. “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.”
HEINEKEN UK’s Manchester brewery employs over 240 people and brews around 2.5 million pints every day of some of the nation’s favourite beers, including Heineken®, Birra Moretti, Cruzcampo®, Foster’s, Amstel and Red Stripe. The brewery is an enduring symbol of Manchester’s industrial strength, innovation, and pride with the site celebrating 150 years of brewing in 2025.