Construction work at the brewery has been continuing since June of last year and Diageo today confirmed that the proposed expansion will more than double the brewery’s capacity to 4.5m hectolitres (a metric unit of capacity equal to 100 litres).
Diageo had already earmarked the Co Kildare brewery as a production hub for Diageo lager and ales including Rockshore, Harp, Hop House 13, Smithwick’s, Kilkenny and Carlsberg.
Now, the planned doubling of capacity will result in the plant becoming a production hub for Guinness and Guinness 0.0 growth in emerging markets.
St James’s Gate in Dublin will continue to brew for its most established markets
Currently, St James Gate in Dublin is the only Diageo site in the world where Guinness 0.0 is brewed.
Diageo’s planned expansion of the plant follows the firm reporting in June that on-trade yearly volume sales of Guinness 0.0 draught grew 161pc between June 2022 and March 2025. Diageo is eyeing the zero-alcohol product’s global potential based on its Irish rollout.
A spokeswoman for Diageo stressed that St James’s Gate in Dublin “will remain the heart and soul of Guinness, continuing to brew for its largest and most established markets”, including Ireland, the UK and the US.
“Diageo’s commitment to this iconic site – its heritage, its legacy, and its future – remains stronger than ever.”
Diageo expects to lodge the planning application in early November and the proposed expansion at Littleconnell “forms part of Diageo’s long-term plan to increase capacity and flexibility to support future growth opportunities as they arise”.
The spokeswoman added: “While the realisation and timings of this expansion will depend on a number of external factors, it reflects Diageo’s long-standing commitment to Ireland and reinforces the country’s position as a strategic base for sustainable export-led growth.”
Commenting on the new plans to be lodged, Diageo’s global head of beer supply Colin O’Brien said: “This planned expansion at Littleconnell is designed to position us for future global growth opportunities for Guinness and Guinness 0.0.
“By increasing our capacity, we can better serve emerging markets while strengthening Ireland’s position as a leading market for beer exports.
“It’s a significant step forward in our commitment to sustainable brewing and will be an industry gold standard for energy and water efficiency.”
It is expected that first brew for lagers and ales at the Littleconnell site will take place in early 2026.
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