Bundaberg Brewed Drinks will upgrade brewing, bottling and warehousing systems after receiving a State Government grant of $575,800.
The money was awarded from round two of the $46 million Made in Queensland (MiQ) grants program.
The iconic Bundaberg-based family-owned business has been operating for 51 years and distributes its premium brewed soft drinks nationally and globally to more than 30 countries.
State Development Minister Cameron Dick today visited the company’s Bundaberg facility and said the MiQ funding would assist the company to optimise its current brewing facility.
“The company is already one of the region’s largest employers. This funding will enable Bundaberg Brewed Drinks to add up to 40 new jobs to the existing workforce of more than 170 staff,” Mr Dick said.
“These improvements will support Bundaberg Brewed Drinks’ transformation into a super brewery and enable further expansion to meet global demand.”
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks chief executive John McLean said the MiQ funding would assist the company to continue to improve production systems.
“We live by the rule, if it’s worth brewing, it’s worth brewing well, so we’re always looking for ways that innovation and better manufacturing processes can complement our traditional brewing methods,” Mr McLean said.
“The MiQ funding will assist us to optimise our equipment and processes, improving the way we continue to produce great tasting brewed soft-drinks.”
Mr Dick said the Bundaberg grant is the first to be made since the Queensland Government announced a $6 million funding boost to MiQ, lifting the program’s total funding to $46 million over two rounds to support small and medium sized manufacturers.
“Round one and round two MiQ funding is supporting 78 advanced manufacturing projects across the state — with around 40 per cent of these located in regional Queensland,” he said.
“These projects will generate more than 1000 new jobs and approximately $101 million in private sector investment.”
Bundaberg Brewed Drinks also participated in the Queensland Government’s Inside Advanced Manufacturing series, a week-long program in May, which highlighted Queensland’s manufacturing success stories.
Queensland’s manufacturing sector is worth $20 billion each year to the Queensland economy and provides jobs for more than 173,000 people.
