Ever seen Blue Velvet? If so, this is terrific news for Jeffrey Beaumont.
One of the biggest, most recognisable brewing companies in the world, Heineken N.V., is set to begin construction on its first large scale brewery in the UAE. Sirocco, the joint venture between Heineken NV and Dubai’s MMI, has slated this project to begin in 2025 with completion scheduled for 2027. This is a massive step for UAE alcohol licensing, which has seen rapid changes just in the last few years alone.
The reason for setting up shop in Dubai has to do with the skyrocketing demand in the region, along with giving locals a “Fresher beer experience,” according to the firm’s general manager, Georgios Palymenakos. As of 2019, Heineken NV boasted over 165 breweries across 70 different countries, with annual beer production hitting nearly 25 billion litres – no wonder the gulf was eager to get a sip. However, this isn’t the first brewery to blossom in the UAE, as the microbrewery, Craft by Side Hustle, opened in Abu Dhabi in early 2024.
Heineken’s indelible green glass bottle is engrained in the public psyche, and is found in practically every pub, restaurant and supermarket on the planet. The beer giant reportedly paid $45 million (AED 165 million) for Daniel Craig to take a sip from their emerald green bottle in 2012’s Skyfall. Then again, an endorsement from James Bond is priceless.