The Genesee Brewery was established in 1878 and is New York State’s oldest brewery. It's also one of the oldest continually operated breweries in the country. That's why state leaders are continuing to invest in the facility.
Monday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $50 million modernization project at the brewery. The money will be used to create a world-class packaging facility right here in Rochester.The space will supplement the Canadian production and shipment of its Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light lines of beer, making it the first facility to produce these lines in the United States. Representatives say the project will help the brewery stay competitive.
“The packaging side of the business is the side that most consumers interact with, so it’s very important for us to have state-of-the art capabilities so we can do all sorts of packaging configurations that most consumers will see in the grocery stores,” said Mary Beth Popp, the vice president of communications at FIFCO USA.
The project is expected to create more than 50 new jobs over the next two years, while retaining more than 500 workers in the city.