Beverage giant unveils 16-million-euro capital investment
One of the largest investments to date in the Vojvodina region, the facility includes a new canning line and an improved glass bottling line, significantly increasing operational and logistical efficiency and increasing production by nearly 50 percent whilst cutting carbon emissions in distribution by more than 1,000 tons annually, or 20 percent.
The presentation event was attended by Joost Reintjes, Dutch ambassador to Serbia, Igor Mirović, head of the Vojvodina Provincial Government, and Milan Đurić, mayor of Novi Sad.
‘Heineken Serbia has to date invested more than 220 million euros in the country, with capital investments in the Novi Sad brewery alone over the past two years totaling 16 million euros. One of the technically most advanced facilities in the region, the brewery is particularly important for our company and the development of its portfolio both locally and globally. Our corporate social responsibility efforts that help accelerate local economic development bear out our desire to remain a reliable partner for the prosperity of this part of the country and of Serbia as a whole’, said Neda Đokić, CEO of Heineken Serbia.
Apart from making investments in production and logistics capacity, Heineken Serbia has invested one million euros annually in Vojvodina whilst also supporting the HoReCa sector and all major music festivals and other events.
‘Heineken is, of course, one of the best known Dutch brand names worldwide. In addition to being a famous brewery, it is also known as a responsible and modern company that continuously invests in its people, culture, and local communities it works in and relies on. Our community of Dutch companies here keeps growing. The volume of bilateral trade between the Netherlands and Serbia has exceeded one billion euros, and the Netherlands remains a key source of SDIs here. I am proud to see companies such as Heineken becoming examples of best investment practice’, said Joost Reintjes, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Serbia.
‘The fact that Heineken has invested 16 million euros in the Novi Sad brewery over the past two years shows they have confidence in their local team and staff. We have discussed the growing costs faced by the company with their management and concluded that producers of raw materials need more support in the form of financial incentives. By doing so, we wish to provide security for both raw materials producers and breweries, to allow them to make purchases in our market and to ensure this chain remains unbroken in the future’, said Igor Mirović, head of the Vojvodina Provincial Government.
Contributing to growth of the local economy and Vojvodina, the key national and regional agricultural area, and continuing long-standing successful co-operation with the City of Novi Sad have been essential aspects of Heineken’s business and investment to date and will continue to be so in the future.
‘Heineken Serbia is one more proof that Novi Sad is a top-tier business environment and that it attracts foreign investors. The company’s top management have told us about their investments to date and future plans that are development-oriented and abound with innovative ideas. As I saw during my visit to the facility, the company is highly committed to resource and energy efficiency and equally committed to caring for its staff. I wish them continued success in the future and many more investments, and may we always meet on such happy occasions’, said Milan Đurić, Mayor of Novi Sad.
Heineken Serbia is committed to sustainable operations and creating added value for the community and its staff. In addition to installing wastewater treatment systems and nearly completely eliminating landfill disposal, the company has reduced carbon emissions from all of its production processes by 75 percent over the past 15 years whilst also cutting water use by more than 70 percent per hectoliter of beer produced.
