Heineken buys back EUR 1 billion in shares as FEMSA’s exit begins

Netherlands | Heineken purchased EUR 1 billion (USD 1.1 billion) worth of its shares from FEMSA, after the Mexican Coca-Cola bottler launched a EUR 3.7 billion sale for part of its holdings in the Dutch group.

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Heineken banks on premiumisation strategy as volumes grew in 2022

Netherlands | The Dutch brewer’s volume sales returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, with premium brands outperforming the rest of the portfolio, Heineken reported on 15 February.

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Heineken exiting Russia: “It’s endlessly complicated”

Netherlands | Heineken’s full exit from Russia is dragging on. Like Carlsberg, the Dutch brewer had wanted to be out of the country by the end of 2022. But it seems Heineken was too optimistic when it set itself this date.

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Heineken doubles down on cost savings in Europe

The Netherlands | Global beer consumption is holding up despite economic challenges, with employment strong and drinkers still treating higher-priced premium beer as an affordable luxury, Dolf van den Brink, CEO of Heineken, told analysts at its Capital Markets Event on 2 December.

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Capacity constraints: Heineken closes Brand brewery in the Netherlands

The Netherlands | Heineken’s cost-cutters had their way again. After Belgium’s Affligem brewery, the Brand brewery in Wijlre is the next to be shuttered. Beer production will be shifted to Heineken’s macro breweries in Zoeterwoude and Den Bosch in 2024. 48 jobs will be lost. This was announced on 26 September.

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Heineken’s outlook dims as inflation pinches consumers

The Netherlands | Heineken said the longer-term outlook has become cloudier as inflationary pressures squeeze consumers, raising the risk that they will cut back on beer.

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Dutch beer consumption up slightly in 2021, but still below 2019 levels

The Netherlands | There is no light at the end of the tunnel, the Association of Dutch Brewers complained in mid-January 2022, having just emerged from a snap lockdown, which lasted from Christmas 2021 until 14 January 2022, and forced the hospitality industry into hibernation.

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Dutch craft brewer Frontaal raises EUR 5 million for new production site

The Netherlands | This just goes to show that punters are still willing to put their money behind upstart craft brewers. EUR 5 million (USD 5.7 million) seemed like an ambitious target when Brouwerij Frontaal announced its latest crowdfunding campaign, its fourth, in September 2021. Nevertheless, the Breda-based brewery managed to raise as much in four months, Dutch media reported on 15 January 2022.

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Holland Malt realises emission-free malthouse in Eemshaven

Emission-free | In December 2021, Holland Malt has started the realisation of a completely emission-free malthouse in Eemshaven, province of Groningen. Thanks to a new, innovative heat system, the malting process no longer uses fossil fuels, biomass or other energy sources that cause harmful emissions. With this, the malthouse is taking a big step in its energy transition. The system that is to ensure this transition will be fully operational in 2024.

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Heineken hikes profit in first half but sees costs rising

The Netherlands | Dutch Heineken said on 2 August 2021 that its first-half turnover grew by 14 percent to EUR 12 billion. But it is still trailing more than 10 percent behind the first half of 2019.

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Heineken achieves turnaround in Brazil

The Netherlands | How to knock a low margin business into better shape? During Heineken’s investor call on 2 August 2021, CEO Dolf van den Brink explained the recent transformation of its Brazilian business: one is a portfolio shift, the other is a route to market shift.

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Heineken plans to cut overall emissions by 30 percent by 2030

The Netherlands | With a nod to Earth Day activists, on 22 April 2021, Dutch brewer Heineken announced that it aims for all of its production sites to become carbon neutral, maximising renewable energy and energy efficiency. As part of its EverGreen campaign, the company will cut its overall emissions by 30 percent by 2030.

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Drinking al fresco: Dutch government eases lockdown restrictions

The Netherlands | After repeated threats from desperate publicans that they will reopen their venues regardless of the lockdown, the Dutch government relented. On 28 April 2021, outdoor terraces were reopened for guests from noon until 6 pm. Still, all sales of alcohol are prohibited from 8 pm until 6 am. This applies to hotels, takeout and delivery and all other outlets selling alcohol.

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Former Heineken CEO van Boxmeer received millions upon departure

The Netherlands | Media huffed and puffed over Jean-François van Boxmeer’s high severance payment, which he received from the brewer upon his departure.

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Dutch court clears path for MTB’s claim against Heineken

The Netherlands | In its long-running legal spat with Heineken, Macedonian Thrace Brewery (MTB), best known for its Vergina beer, scored a victory: The Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled on 16 February 2021 that MTB can pursue Heineken for damages in relation to anti-competitive practices and market abuse by its Greek subsidiary.

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Heineken slips to a loss in 2020

The Netherlands | The pandemic even brought Heineken to its knees. The world’s number two brewer reported a net loss of EUR 204 million (USD 248 million) for 2020, compared with a net profit of EUR 2.2 billion in 2019. Global beer sales dropped 8 percent organically to 222 million hl, the firm said on 10 February 2021.

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Heineken to cut head office staff

Netherlands | Never let a crisis go to waste. Dutch brewing giant Heineken plans to cut personnel costs at its Amsterdam headquarters and regional country offices. An estimated one in five people are to go. Hundreds of jobs will be lost. The reorganisation is to take place in the first quarter of next year.

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Heineken: glass half empty

The Netherlands | Because of the global pandemic, Heineken saw a lot of declines in the first half of 2020: in beer sales, revenue and profit. So much so that it swung into a loss.

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Praise for new Heineken CEO

Netherlands | The appointment of Dolf van den Brink, 46, as Heineken’s new CEO has created quite some buzz. There would have been the odd complaint that Mr van den Brink is neither black nor a woman. Ah well. But he will still be the brewing industry’ youngest executive.

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Heineken CEO van Boxmeer steps down

Netherlands | On 11 February 2020, the Supervisory Board of Heineken announced the upcoming succession of Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO Jean-François van Boxmeer, following his 15-year-long leadership of the firm.

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Heineken’s CEO bows out with notable 2019 results

Netherlands | Heineken saw another year of “superior top-line growth”, thanks to a strong performance in the second half of 2019. Beer volumes were up 3.1 percent, net revenue 5.6 percent and operating profit 3.9 percent.

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Heineken’s plug&play draught systems are a sizeable venture

The Netherlands | January’s electronics sales are upon us. So why not use the discounts and splash out on one of Heineken’s draught systems? The discounts available are wide-ranging, though.

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Heineken pledges to act on new claims of sexual abuse in Africa

The plight of beer girls in Asia and Africa is well-known but according to campaigners very little has been done to protect them from harassment.

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New Business Development & Risk Manager

Effective August 1, 2016, Dr. Uwe Kikillus joined Pentair as Business Development & Risk Management Manager CO2 & Biogas. In his new role, Dr. Kikillus is responsible for the business development of Pentair’s biogas business into new markets and regions, and also for the development of strategy plans globally for biogas expansion. With respect to operation engineering process management, he is in charge of project management standards and processes, and of contract risk management.

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Heineken’s sales slow in Africa

Perhaps it was a mistake to club Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe into one unit. All these markets appear to be in trouble. Heineken reported on 1 August 2016 that second-quarter beer volumes dipped 5.9 percent on an organic basis across Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe, hurt by a weakening environment in Russia and Nigeria, where low oil prices and falling currencies are denting growth.

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Ivan Williams returns to Pentair Haffmans

Effective March 24, 2014, Ivan Williams was appointed as Global Commercial Director CO₂ & Biogas Systems at Pentair Haffmans. The New Zealand national brings more than 20 years of experience in CO₂ Systems. Prior to joining Pentair Haffmans, he was Managing Director of ASCO Carbon Dioxide Ltd. based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and Vice President of CO₂ Technology for the Messer Group GmbH in Krefeld, Germany. He holds a degree in Chemical and Process Engineering from the University of Canterbury and served as Project Manager and Senior Sales Manager at Pentair Haffmans from 2000 to 2009.

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The new malting barleys for Europe – Spring Barley

The European Brewery Convention (EBC) is pleased to announce its report “EBC – two years variety summary for 2005 and 2006; The new malting barleys for Europe; "Spring Barley”.