Heineken 50 % stake in Affligem Brouwerij

Today Heineken acquired a 50 per cent stake in Affligem Brouwerij BDS N.V. (formerly Brouwerij De Smedt N.V.), established in Opwijk (Belgium).

 

The brewery mainly produces the abbey beer Affligem. The Affligem abbey, owner of the brand, brews this beer already since the eleventh century. Since 1980 Heineken took care of the marketing and distribution of this beer in the Netherlands and France. Heineken now also has a license agreement with the abbey for the rest of the world. The license for Belgium and Luxembourg remains with the Affligem Brewery. For Heineken this means a reinforcement of the portfolio of special beers while the agreement offers better sales opportunities for the partners. The Affligem Brouwerij has a capacity of 70,000 hectolitres and offers jobs to thirty employees.