BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

29/12/2007

Heineken buys Belarus brewery

Scottish & Newcastle suitor Heineken has acquired the Syabar Brewing Company in Belarus for an undisclosed sum.

Heineken, hoping to takeover S&N in a joint bid with Carlsberg, acquired Syabar's Cypriot parent company.

The Syabar brewery in Bobruysk has been operational since October 2005 and employs 280 staff.

Its portfolio of beers includes the nation's second biggest beer Bobrov and a premium brand called Syabar.

The brewery is expected to produce 600,000 hectolitres in 2007 compared too 370,000 in 2006.

The beer market in Belarus is currently enjoying double digit growth.

"This transaction is in line with our strategy to obtain leading market positions and brands," said Heineken central and eastern European president Nico Nusmeier.

"Belarus is a fast growing market and this deal will give us an excellent platform from which to grow both the Heineken brand as well as our imported Russian brands."

Source:

http://www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/news_detail.aspx?articleid=55136