Liquor maker Emperador Inc. has lowered its capital expenditure budget for this year to P2.4 billion. This is a significant drop compared to previous years, as the company has finished most of its large-scale investment projects.
The budget is 40 percent lower than last year’s P4 billion, 63 percent down from 2024’s P6.5 billion, and much smaller than the P8 billion allocated in 2023. More than half of this year’s budget will go towards the whisky segment, used for building warehouses, maturation facilities and upgrading plants. The remaining funds will support the brandy business for production and distribution improvements.
Key projects are now complete, including the expansion of the Dalmore distillery which doubled its production capacity. Additional storage warehouses have also been built to accommodate more aged spirits. Sustainability initiatives are fully operational, such as the biomass boiler in Jura and the bioenergy center in Invergordon. An air treatment system has also been installed at the company’s glass plant in the Philippines to improve environmental standards.
Emperador said it is now equipped with modern facilities to continue producing high-quality spirits for global markets. The company does not have immediate plans for acquisitions, but remains open to suitable opportunities that fit its long-term strategy.
Regarding business performance, president and CEO Glenn D. Manlapaz noted that brandy sales are expected to recover this year, particularly in the domestic market where products appeal to younger consumers. International markets are also showing positive signs, with expected growth in the coming years. For whisky, the company sees improving demand for premium products, which signals market recovery.
In the first quarter of 2026, Emperador posted steady net income of P1.95 billion, up slightly from P1.86 billion a year earlier. Revenues rose by 6 percent to P12.86 billion.
