The Bucanero Brewery S.A., located in the province of Holguín, is expanding its capacity to support production growth—already surpassing one million hectoliters annually—through brand innovation, investment programs, and a shift in the company’s energy matrix.
With a portfolio that includes beers such as Cacique, Mayabe, and Cristal, along with Bucanero and Perla Negra malt beverages, the company seeks to increase its brewing potential aimed at meeting domestic demand from the retail trade, the tourism sector, gastronomy, and exports, explained Ediel Hechavarría, Deputy Director of Operations, to ACN.
Among the strategies implemented to optimize the plant are the introduction of 473-milliliter cans featuring a new packaging design; the expansion of the dispenser network, which now includes 30-liter kegs; and a set of investments aimed at renewing the image of existing brands and strengthening their market positioning.
The initial rollout of these measures, combined with the workers’ dedication, made it possible to exceed last year’s planned output by 100,000 hectoliters, part of which was allocated to supply the popular festivities across the northeastern territory, he noted.
Looking ahead, the brewery has a capital investment plan in people, methods, and machinery. This includes talent development programs designed to identify and train young professionals for key positions, advancing e-commerce initiatives, and reinforcing sales ties with new forms of non-state management.
For the current year, the company’s objectives include meeting sales targets, increasing malt production volumes—a high-demand food product already surpassing initial projections by 31 percent—and optimizing profit margins through greater efficiency in industrial costs and expenses.
Hechavarría emphasized that they are working on process automation “focused on improving control and reducing water, energy, and carbon dioxide (CO2) consumption, along with expenses, which will help the brewery reach its maximum potential of two million hectoliters.”
Acknowledging the difficulties in water supply—worsened by the national electricity situation and drought—he explained that the company is investing in the installation of power generators, solar panel projects used to feed wells, and the replacement of pipes along the main aqueduct from the town of Maceo, in the municipality of Cacocum.
With a production capacity of nearly 1,000 beers per minute, Bucanero has also consolidated its presence in markets such as Spain, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, and Brazil. However, the company must confront the logistical challenges of maintaining a steady supply chain to avoid losses to competitors.
As the market leader in kegs across the Caribbean and Central America, Bucanero Brewery S.A. is betting on portfolio diversification, which also includes premium products such as Bucanero Max and Cristal Extra.