One of Newark’s longstanding landmarks, the Anheuser-Busch brewery, will close its doors early next year after nearly 75 years in operation. The facility, which opened in 1951 along Routes 1 & 9, is among three Anheuser-Busch breweries slated for closure, with locations in Fairfield, California and Merrimack, New Hampshire also scheduled to shut down by early 2026.
Anheuser-Busch stated that all 475 employees at the affected sites will be offered positions at other company facilities. The company has committed to providing relocation assistance and training for new roles. Employees who choose not to move will receive severance packages.
The Newark plant is known for producing several of Anheuser-Busch’s core brands such as Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch, Busch Light, Natural Light, and Rolling Rock. Following the closures, production of these brands will shift to other U.S. facilities. According to a company spokesperson, this move will allow Anheuser-Busch “to invest even more in our remaining operations and in our portfolio of growing, industry-leading brands.”
The site will be sold to the Goodman Group in 2026. The new owner plans to repurpose the property for industrial manufacturing and logistics purposes.
Newark has a brewing tradition that dates back before the Civil War and was once home to notable brewers including Ballantine, G. Krueger Brewing Co., and Joseph Hensler Brewing Co.
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka commented on the closure: “I am sorry to see Budweiser leave our city after having called Newark home since 1951 and been part of so many families’ history here. But I’m glad to know that the brewery intends to take care of the employees by helping them relocate and retrain, or take a severance package. I wish the company and all its employees well. And I welcome the Goodman Group as it prepares to put roots in Newark.”
