The Heineken logo is displayed in a supermarket in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina October 29, 2024. REUTERS
DAKAR, April 10 (Reuters) – Heineken has sold its stake in Bralima, its brewing subsidiary in Democratic Republic of Congo, ending decades of direct ownership in a market where conflict had severely disrupted its business.
The Dutch brewer said on Friday it had sold its shareholding in Brasseries, Limonaderies et Malteries (Bralima) to Mauritius-based ELNA Holdings Ltd, which will take over operations, including production, distribution and employees. Financial details were not disclosed.
Bralima was founded in 1923 by Belgian investors and had been majority-owned by Heineken since 1986.
Heineken will retain ownership of its brands and earn revenue through long-term trademark licensing agreements covering Heineken, Primus, Turbo King, Legend and Mutzig.
“This step allows the business to continue under a locally anchored model,” Guillaume Duverdier, president of Heineken’s Africa Middle East region, said in a statement. “It also reflects our move towards a more asset-light approach in selected markets.”
The sale follows a turbulent period for Heineken in Congo. In February 2025, Bralima’s brewery and depots in the eastern city of Bukavu were extensively looted after Congolese security forces withdrew amid an advance by AFC/M23 rebels.
In June, Heineken said armed personnel had seized its facilities in Bukavu and Goma and it had lost operational control.
In November, Heineken transferred its Bukavu brewery to a separate Mauritius-based buyer for 1 euro, retaining a three-year buyback option should conditions stabilise.
Friday’s deal covers the remaining operations — three breweries in Kinshasa, Kisangani and Lubumbashi employing approximately 731 people — in areas not directly affected by the eastern conflict.
Reporting and writing by Clement Bonnerot; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Jane Merriman
