Apr. 19, 2010 (China Knowledge) - Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, the world’s leading brewer, last week held a foundation laying ceremony for its first brewery in Southwest China.

The plant, which will be located in Ziyang, Sichuan Province, will cost RMB 650 million. It will have an area of 136,000 square meters and will produce 300,000 tons of beer annually. The plant will be put into operation in June 2011. 

Excluding the new plant, the brewery giant owns a total of 32 plants. They are located in Central China, North China and Southeast China. 

According to Anheuser-Busch InBev's website, the firm, which is headquartered in Belgium, reaped US$36.8 billion in total revenue last year.

One industry analyst said that the new base in Ziyang, a city that acts as the bridge between Chengdu and Chongqing, will give the company a stronger competitive advantage over Sichuan Blue Sword Breweries Group and Chongqing Brewery Co Ltd.