Wisynco to operate brewery at Lakes Pen

Wisynco Group Limited is setting up a distillery and brewery, regulatory filings indicate, marking a serious play for the local beer market by the beverage manufacturer and consumer goods company.

Its previous effort to enter the market – under a deal with Anheuser-Busch InBev to distribute the Budweiser, Corona, Becks and Stella Artois beer brands in Jamaica – was put on hold amid the pandemic.

Wisynco recently received formal approval from the National Environment and Planning Agency for two permits: one for the construction and operation of hydrocarbon processing and storage facilities, and another for the establishment of a distillery, brewery and fermenting plant.

The brewery will be located at Wisynco’s Lakes Pen complex in St Catherine, filings indicate. It would set the stage for Wisynco to compete directly with dominant beer company Red Stripe Jamaica.

There are no details or indications on the size of the investment or timelines for the brewery.

CEO Andrew Mahfood indicated on Monday that he was travelling and would return in the week. Chairman William Mahfood did not respond to requests for comment up to press time.

The current value of the beer trade is unclear. Statistics projects the market to be about US$166.22 million this year – which is in the region of $26 billion in local currency – but that estimate only covers beer consumed in Jamaica. Beer exports aren’t included.

Comparatively, in 2017, before Red Stripe was taken private and delisted from the stock market, its annual revenue topped $22 billion. Its financials are no longer public.

For decades, Red Stripe has maintained a grip on Jamaica’s beer market from its iconic brewery in Kingston. While other companies have made attempts to enter the brewing space, none have succeeded in breaking through at scale – much of it due to the logistics of nationwide distribution. That’s where Wisynco may have an edge. It is known for its sprawling delivery network and extensive beverage portfolio, which includes bottled water, juices, and energy drinks.

Wisynco’s deeper push into the brewing market comes at a time when consumer preferences are evolving. The growing popularity of craft beers – often infused with botanicals, herbs, and local flavours – has transformed beer from a mass-market staple into an artisanal experience. While pricing once posed a barrier for new entrants, the expanding craft beer audience has opened up space for higher-priced offerings.

Brands on the market include the Clubhouse Brewery, which operates a bar in Kingston led by Cedric Blair, a former managing director of Red Stripe. His brand has recently entered the retail trade, along with smaller retail brands from Trouble’s Brewing and Royal Jamaican.

It remains to be seen how Red Stripe Jamaica, which is owned by global beverage powerhouse Heineken, will respond to a challenger like Wisynco, a large company that last churned out $54 billion in annual revenue and turned over $42.6 billion for the nine-month period ending March 2025.

On Wednesday, a market filing by Wisynco on the Jamaica Stock Exchange referenced the brewery.

“Wisynco has officially commissioned a new state-of-the-art manufacturing plant featuring a modern canning line and integrated brewery. This marks a major milestone in our journey and underscores our commitment to continuous innovation and local investment,” the notice said. “This new facility positions us to introduce an exciting range of Jamaican-made beverages while enhancing our production capabilities and efficiency,” Wisynco said.

steven.jackson@gleanerjm.com