WITH the reinstatement of exports to the United States expected later this month, Red Stripe is to increase its workforce by 80 by the end of September.

The company announced yesterday that it has already hired an additional 50 employees, and will take on another 30 by the end of September in the areas of brewing, engineering, packaging, and logistics.

In 2012, Red Stripe took the decision to move its export operations to the United States as part of a broader cost-reduction strategy aimed at stemming the performance slide driven by two successive years of significant volume decline.

Against this background, the restructuring exercise was a last resort, and Red Stripe remained staunchly committed to managing a business that would be able to survive tough times. Today, the company says it is making good on its word by positioning itself to resume export growth and increase local employment.

Since November 2015, Red Stripe has moved from a two-team operation to a three-team operation, with the plant being run five days each week.

“Upon completion of our recruitment, to ensure adequate human capacity consistent with our growth trajectory for increased exports and domestic sales, we will have in place a four-team operation running every single day, every single hour,” said Melverine Hemmings, Red Stripe’s head of human resources.

Red Stripe has invested over €16 million, or $2.2 billion, in plant upgrades and increases in staff capacity as it looks forward to its first shipment next month.

Among the upgrades to its production facilities, in preparation for this historic milestone in the life of the brewing giant, were the modernisation of the brewery, the installation of a combined heat and power plant, the commissioning of a new 12-pack machine, and the complete overhaul of the existing packaging line.

Jason Bovell, one of the company’s new employees in the Logistics Department and a graduate of Red Stripe’s Learning for Life programme, says that they are beaming at the huge opportunities and the fact that they will be able to contribute to the growth of the company for years to come.

“I am happy and honoured to be here at this really significant point in Red Stripe’s history. To be part of the team taken back to ensure we deliver exports in true Red Stripe style is beyond what I ever dreamed of for myself,” Bovell said.