Heineken to invest $300 million in Brazil to expand premium beer portfolio

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Heineken NV, the world's second-largest brewer, said on Thursday it will invest 1.5 billion reais ($300.8 million) in Brazil as part of an expansion plan for its premium and single malt beer portfolios.

Brazilian beer drinkers are among the world's biggest consumers of Heineken, according to the company.

The planned investment aims to boost the brewer's production capacity for its Amstel, Devassa and namesake Heineken brands, spread across two plants in northeast Brazil, the company said in a statement.

Heineken said spending on its Igarassu plant will triple its capacity for making Amstel and Devassa, while also increasing its returnable packaging lines by 45%.

The company's Alagoinhas brewery is seen expanding its capacity to produce Heineken by 60% with the new investment.

The spending plan will also help make water use at the Igarassu brewery more efficient, including a goal to reduce water consumption there by 30% over the next three years, the company said.

($1 = 4.9864 reais)

(Reporting by Paula Arend Laier; Writing by Carolina Pulice; Editing by David Alire Garcia and Bill Berkrot)