Governor Hochul Announces $50 Million Modernization Project at 146-Year-Old Genesee Brewery in Rochester

State Funding Will Support Project Upgrades to Create a World Class Packaging Facility in Rochester, Retaining 500 Jobs and Creating up to 57 New Jobs

Investment Complements “Finger Lakes Forward” – the Region’s Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced a major revitalization project for the storied Genesee Brewery in the City of Rochester. The 146-year-old facility will undergo a $50 million renovation to transform the building into a world-class packaging facility, increasing the building’s manufacturing capacity and allowing for greater efficiency at the site. The company is planning to create up to 57 new jobs at the facility over the next two years in addition to retaining more than 500 workers in Rochester, and will use the facility to supplement the Canadian production and shipment of its renowned Labatt Blue and Labatt Blue Light lines of beer – making this the first facility to produce these lines in the United States. New York State has offered a $7 million capital grant to Genesee’s parent company, FIFCO USA, to assist with the modernization upgrades.

“The Genesee Brewery has been a trusted employer in the Rochester community for well over a century, and this transformative investment will help to keep them in New York State for generations to come,” Governor Hochul said. “New York is experiencing a manufacturing renaissance, with millions of dollars in investment and countless, good-paying jobs coming to our state, and my administration is committed to helping businesses like the Genesee Brewery expand their presence in New York and help move our economy forward.”

This project will increase the brewery’s capacity with the installation of new tanks and equipment, following a $50 million Phase One investment in the Rochester facility in 2018. The company opened the Genesee Brew House in 2012, which features an on-site museum, restaurant and pilot brewery that last year attracted more than 400,000 people to the location along the beautiful Genesee River in Downtown Rochester. Genesee Brew House also received three awards in the New York State Craft Beer Competition in 2023 with their Helles beer, a traditional light lager taking the best in show Governor’s Excelsior Craft Beer Cup award.

Established in 1878, the Genesee Brewery is New York State’s oldest brewery and one of the oldest continually operating breweries in the United States. The Brewery makes the classic line of Genesee beers, as well as the popular Seagram’s Escapes line, Lipton Hard Iced Tea and several brands for large alcoholic beverage companies across the country.