A partnership between Heineken and Dubai’s Maritime Mercantile International, known as Sirocco, has announced plans to construct the Gulf region’s first major commercial brewery in Dubai. With all required licenses and permits secured, construction is set to begin by late 2025, and the brewery is expected to start operations by the end of 2027.
The facility will produce a variety of popular beer brands, catering to Dubai’s thriving hospitality industry and its growing tourist population, which reached 17 million in 2023. Dubai has long permitted alcohol consumption, and recent years have seen a relaxation of regulations around alcohol purchases across the UAE, including in Abu Dhabi.
This project follows the launch of Craft by Side Hustle in 2023, the UAE’s first craft brewery and gastropub, located at Abu Dhabi’s Galleria Al Maryah Island. Side Hustle offers its own brewed beers and cocktails, paired with smokehouse-inspired cuisine.
