Heineken has agreed to transfer ownership of its brewery in Bukavu, in the eastern part of the embattled Democratic Republic of Congo.
Synergy Ventures Holdings Ltd, a Mauritian company backed by regional entrepreneurs, will assume full responsibility for the facility before the end of 2025 for EUR1 (US$1.15). Synergy Ventures will operate the brewery independently, while Heineken has secured a buyback option that can be exercised three years after the sale should conditions stabilise enough to support a viable return.
The move follows months of disruption: Heineken suspended operations in February and lost effective oversight of the brewery in June amid deteriorating security conditions in South Kivu. The Bukavu facilities employed around 1,000 people directly and indirectly, Heineken had said previously.
The transfer is framed by the brewer as a “humanitarian objective to safeguard jobs and livelihoods, maintain vital community services and prevent misuse of the facility in a volatile security environment”. Heineken added that it has continued paying all local employees during the shutdown and said the new owners will take on staffing, operational and tax obligations once the deal closes.
Earlier this month, the brewer commenced operations at a new facility in Minas Gerais, Brazil, as part of a strategy to expand production capacity and strengthen its supply network in the country.
