Diageo moves Guinness branding to Dublin

DRINKS group Diageo plans to move its entire Guinness branding unit to Dublin.

The company says 30 new jobs will be created as part of the expansion, which will see all branding activities for the black stuff development in its historic home in St James’s Gate in Dublin.

The expansion will add 13 employees for the Guinness branding operation and a further 17 staff to work on other Diageo brands, which include Baileys, Smirnoff and Johnnie Walker whiskey.

Diageo Ireland chairman Brian Duffy said: “I am very pleased that the global brand team and the innovations services are located in the heart of Dublin, the spiritual home of the brand.

“It is highly significant that the stewardship of Ireland’s most iconic brand should come from here and the entire team are looking forward to helping build the success of Guinness beer in markets around the world.”

The expansion is being supported by Enterprise Ireland, which also backed Diageo’s €35 million investment in a state-of-the-art production centre in Waterford last year.

Guinness production for Britain is now coming out of Dublin after the close of its London brewery and switch to St James’s Gate. The move meant a 50% increase in Guinness output.

Diageo employs around 2,200 people in Ireland. 1,700 people are employed in three breweries in Dublin, Dundalk and Kilkenny, with 500 employees at facilities in Northern Ireland.

Enterprise Ireland director Mike Feeney said yesterday that the expansion means great potential for more exports from the Waterford and Dublin plants.