On September 18, 2026, New Zealand Minister Cameron Brewer officially opened DB Breweries’ upgraded Waitematā facilities. The $30 million project expanded and modernised both brewing and packaging operations.
The DB Breweries Waitematā upgrade adds faster can packers, two new tanks and bottle-line improvements, including a new bottle filler. This investment targets growth in cans and low-carb beer as overall New Zealand beer volumes fall.
DB Breweries Waitematā upgrade: What’s Changed?
DB Breweries says the $30 million project marks its first major Waitematā site upgrade in about 20 years. The brewery packaging investment introduces faster can packers that give the site greater flexibility across formats, while two new tanks increase batch-brewing capacity. Its bottle production has also received new packers and a new bottle filler.
“This upgrade is anchoring DB as a more productive, efficient and competitive business for the long term. The Waitematā brewery is at the heart of our operations. Modernising the site ensures we’re well positioned to serve customers, respond to changing consumer preferences and support future growth.
And importantly, we’re immediately seeing the productivity benefits of the upgrades. For example, the upgraded NRG bottle line is producing around 30,000 bottles an hour, which is 30% more than before,” DB Managing Director Peter Hart says.
Why DB Is Targeting Cans and Low-Carb Beer in New Zealand?
DB Breweries is directing part of its investment toward two areas it identifies as growing segments:
- Low-carb beer
- Cans
The company says low-carb remains New Zealand’s fastest-growing beer category, a trend supported by market data showing the segment generated 61% of value growth in beer sales while volume increased 18.6% in one year.
Lion New Zealand marketing director Annemarie Browne has described the trend as consumers seeking “balance” between socialising and moderation.
Cans also fit broader packaging trends. In the United States, aluminium cans accounted for 78% of packaged craft beer volume in 2025, according to the Brewers Association, up two percentage points from the previous year.
DB’s investment connects its New Zealand capacity to both local demand for low-carb products and the continuing international importance of cans as a beer packaging format.
DB Breweries Waitematā upgrade: A Capital Investment Against a Backdrop of Falling Volume
The DB Breweries Waitematā upgrade comes as New Zealand’s beer market faces declining consumption. Stats NZ’s data shows beer consumption fell 10% to 265 million litres in the year to December 2025, the lowest level recorded.
However, beer still accounted for 60% of total alcoholic beverage volume, while 86% of beer available for domestic consumption came from local production.
The market remains concentrated. In fact, per the Brewers Association of New Zealand, Lion and DB together hold roughly 80% of national beer volume, although both have surrendered some share to craft and speciality producers.
Against that backdrop, DB’s $30 million investment does not assume broad volume growth. Instead, the Waitematā upgrade directs production capacity toward areas where the company sees stronger demand, particularly low-carb and premium beer formats, while improving efficiency across its existing operations.
What the DB Breweries Waitematā upgrade Signals
The DB Breweries Waitematā upgrade signals where major brewers see demand developing as overall beer volumes soften. DB’s investment places low-carb beer and can packaging among its leading growth areas while upgrading core production capacity.
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