Antigua and Barbuda’s push to expand domestic manufacturing is gaining momentum, with a new locally brewed beer set to enter the national market by 2027, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has confirmed. Speaking during a recent appearance on the *Browne and Browne Show*, the prime minister outlined ongoing progress in growing the country’s local production sector, while issuing a renewed call for residents to prioritize homegrown goods.
Browne confirmed that Antigua Distillery, a local beverage producer, has already completed construction of a new brewery facility to support the new beer product. While the prime minister stopped short of sharing additional details – including the beer’s brand name, exact launch timeline, or the brewery’s planned annual production capacity – he framed the project as a key milestone in the country’s manufacturing expansion. “In manufacturing, we’re seeing some improvements,” Browne told listeners of the program.
The new brewery project is just one of several signs of growing activity in Antigua and Barbuda’s domestic production sector, according to the prime minister. He highlighted ongoing developments in local paper goods manufacturing, noting that a new domestic producer of three-ply toilet paper has already launched operations, while a second, larger-scale toilet paper manufacturing plant is scheduled to come online in 2027. That facility will not only serve domestic demand but also have export capabilities, marking a significant step forward for the country’s small manufacturing export segment.
Browne also pointed to rising demand for the government’s entrepreneurship financing programs as further evidence of a growing local business ecosystem. “Every week we get applications for entrepreneurial funding,” he said. “So I’m very happy with the increase in entrepreneurship.”
Across all these developments, the prime minister emphasized a core message for Antiguans and Barbudans: support for local goods is critical to sustaining the sector’s growth. “I want to encourage our people, as products are being produced locally, we must support our own,” Browne said. “We want to encourage you to buy local.”
The prime minister struck an optimistic tone about Antigua and Barbuda’s overall economic trajectory, pointing to the expanding manufacturing and entrepreneurship sectors as proof of broad-based progress. “I’d say in all sectors we are seeing progress, and we’re very happy in the way in which the country is progressing economically,” he added. No further details about the new brewery or the upcoming beer release were made available during the program.