Anheuser-Busch will close its famous Newark brewery early next year, shutting the lights on what was a key part of the city’s industrial identity for decades. The decision comes as part of a larger shift in company strategy—Anheuser-Busch will also close plants in California and New Hampshire, consolidating production into the brewery’s remaining U.S. sites.
Around 475 workers across the three locations will be asked to relocate to other Anheuser-Busch facilities across the country. The St. Louis brewery will offer moving assistance, training and new roles within the company to employees who decide to relocate. Those who choose not to move will receive a severance package.
Opened in 1951, the Newark plant is now being sold to the Goodman Group. The site is expected to remain used for manufacturing and logistics.
The brewery has long been one of Anheuser-Busch’s cornerstone facilities, producing major beer brands including Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch, Natural Light and Rolling Rock. At a time, the plant represented Newark’s status as a major player in American beer production.
The alcoholic beverage giant has spent several years reshaping its U.S. manufacturing footprint, pouring roughly $2 billion into upgrading its remaining facilities. The Newark shutdown marks a visible turning point in strategy. However, company leaders insist it is a necessary part of the restructuring—claiming that consolidating production will open the door for investment and modernization.
The plant’s closure brings an end to a site that weathered labor disputes, industry shakeups and even international crises. In 2022, when the company halted operations in Ukraine, the Newark brewery took on production of a Ukrainian beer brand to keep it alive and available during the war.
It’s not just jobs that will be lost. The brewery’s iconic signage and brick facade has been a part of the Newark skyline for the better part of a century. Generations of local families worked the lines—the brewery stood as the last remnants of Newark’s brewing heyday.Newark Mayor Ras Baraka expressed sadness over the news, but praised the company for offering jobs and assistance to its employees. Soon, Anheuser-Busch’s Newark legacy will be all but a memory as the Goodman Group looks to become a part of the growing city.
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