Anheuser-Busch pauses beer production for California’s wildfire relief efforts

Since the inception of the emergency drinking water programme in 1988, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners have provided more than 83 million cans of water to US communities nationwide

At the request of the American Red Cross, Anheuser-Busch is delivering two truckloads – more than 100,000 cans – of emergency drinking water to California to support local communities impacted by the devasting wildfires.

The donations of emergency drinking water will be delivered to the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler in Oakland and local wholesaler partner, Bueno Beverage Company in Visalia, California who will work alongside the American Red Cross to distribute the water to those in need at their relief operations.

As employee safety is the foremost and primary concern, Anheuser-Busch is closely monitoring the fires and is taking action to ensure colleagues in the region – including at its Fairfield and Van Nuys breweries and various distribution centres across California – are safe and prepared as the situation continues to evolve.

The clean, safe drinking water will be transported from Anheuser-Busch’s brewery in Cartersville, Georgia which periodically pauses beer production throughout the year to can emergency drinking water to be ready to help communities in times of disaster.

Anheuser-Busch has a longstanding tradition of providing support for disaster relief efforts in partnership with the American Red Cross. Last year, the brewer also expanded their emergency drinking water programme through a partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council to help ensure members of our nation’s volunteer fire service have the resources they need to protect their communities.

Anheuser-Busch has committed to donating 1.5 million cans of water to volunteer fire departments in 2020 as they face unprecedented challenges. The first wave of deliveries totalling more than 1 million cans of water is currently underway to 150 fire departments across 38 states to help departments during the demanding wildfire season.

Since the inception of the emergency drinking water programme in 1988, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners have provided more than 83 million cans of water to US communities nationwide.