ASTANA – Carlsberg Kazakhstan has opened a new $344 million beverage production plant in Boraldai, the Almaty Region, expanding local production for Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic and strengthening the country’s position as a regional manufacturing hub.
The opening ceremony on Oct. 1 was attended by Kazakhstan’s Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture, Akim of Almaty Region Chingis Arinov, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and representatives of Carlsberg Group and PepsiCo, reported the company’s press service.
Photo credit: Carlsberg
The project was implemented with the support of the Government of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, national company Kazakh Invest and the Akimat of Almaty Region.
Production for Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic
The new facility will manufacture PepsiCo beverage brands under license, with Kazakhstan serving as its primary market and the Kyrgyz Republic as an additional destination.
At full capacity, the plant is designed to produce approximately 1 billion litres of beverages annually. Phase 1 includes five production lines serving several beverage categories and packaging formats.
The facility is expected to create more than 230 direct jobs and generate additional economic activity in logistics, transportation, warehousing, distribution, packaging and related services.
The investment combines Carlsberg Kazakhstan’s local manufacturing and distribution capabilities with PepsiCo’s beverage portfolio, innovation expertise and international operating standards.
Expanding local production and suppliers
A key objective of the project is to increase local value creation and develop Kazakhstan’s domestic supplier base.
Local content currently accounts for 71.5% of Carlsberg Kazakhstan’s procurement. The company sources barley, wheat, aluminium cans, cardboard packaging and glass bottles from domestic suppliers and works with manufacturers across Almaty, Astana and Shymkent.
As production expands, Carlsberg Kazakhstan plans to increase the range and volume of materials sourced from Kazakhstan suppliers, supporting import substitution and creating additional opportunities for domestic producers.
The plant also incorporates technologies aimed at improving energy efficiency, recovering heat, reducing waste and supporting more sustainable packaging and production processes.
Leaders highlight long-term investment
Akim of Almaty Region Chingis Arinov said the project reflects the government’s focus on attracting investment and developing manufacturing in the regions. He said that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had set clear tasks for the government to ensure economic growth and improve citizens’ well-being.
“Economic development is first and foremost reflected in concrete projects being implemented in every region of the country. Therefore, developing production and attracting investment are among the important priorities for our region as well,” Arinov said.
According to him, the new facility will contribute to diversifying the regional economy, increasing investment activity and expanding the production of competitive goods.
Carlsberg Group CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen described the opening as an important milestone in the company’s long-term commitment to Kazakhstan and its expansion in Central Asia.
“This is an important milestone in our long-term commitment to Kazakhstan, but it is also a major step in the development of our business across Central Asia. We are proud to work alongside PepsiCo, one of the world’s leading consumer goods companies,” he said.
Aarup-Andersen added that investments of this scale require confidence in long-term partnerships and stability.
Eugene Willemsen, CEO of International Beverages at PepsiCo, said the new plant demonstrates the company’s confidence in Kazakhstan’s growth prospects.
“Kazakhstan is a strategic growth market for our international beverages business, and today’s plant opening reflects the confidence we share with Carlsberg Group in its future,” Willemsen said.
He said the partnership would allow the companies to supply locally produced beverages to consumers and customers in Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic while supporting jobs and domestic supply chains.
Further investment by PepsiCo
The new plant adds to PepsiCo’s growing investment footprint in Kazakhstan.
In 2024, PepsiCo announced a $368 million investment in its first snack production facility near Almaty. The plant began producing Lay’s potato chips earlier this year and is expected to expand cooperation with local farmers and increase the share of locally supplied potatoes over time.
Carlsberg Kazakhstan is also among the country’s major foreign investors and taxpayers in the food and beverage manufacturing sector. In 2025, the company paid more than 37.5 billion tenge (US$83.6 million) in taxes and other mandatory payments to the state budget.
The opening of the $344 million beverage facility marks another major manufacturing investment in Kazakhstan and expands the country’s production capacity for the wider Central Asian market.
