Côte d’Ivoire: HEINEKEN and CFAO open state of the art brewery in Côte d’Ivoire

HEINEKEN and CFAO on April 5 opened a state of the art brewery constructed by their joint venture, Brassivoire, in the Anyama industrial zone, 24 kilometres to the north of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s economic capital, Yahoo Finance reported on the same day.

The Vice-President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Daniel Kablan Duncan, the Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Amadou Gon Coulibaly and the Minister of Industry and Mines, Mr. Jean-Claude Brou, as well as senior representatives of the two partner companies attended the opening ceremony.

HEINEKEN was represented by Mrs. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Mr. Michel de Carvalho, Executive Board members of Heineken Holding N.V., and by the Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Heineken N.V., Mr. Jean-François van Boxmeer. CFAO was represented by Mr. Richard Bielle, Chairman and CEO, and Mr. Jun Karube, President and CEO of the Toyota Tsusho Corporation, a shareholder in CFAO. Brassivoire was represented by its General Manager, Mr. Alexander Koch.

The inauguration marks the completion of a 13-month construction project, following investment of nearly 100 billion FCFA (EUR 150 million), resulting in a brewery with a brewing capacity of 1.6 million hectolitres per annum. Brassivoire has been brewing "Ivoire" beer in Côte d’Ivoire since November 2016, and distributes the brand, as well as the Heineken® and Desperados brands, all over the country. Two hundred direct jobs have been created since work started on the brewery in September 2015. The use of rice in addition to malted barley in brewing "Ivoire" beer will boost the growth of the country’s rice sector.

Mr. Alexander Koch, General Manager of Brassivoire, commented: "For us, the opening of our new brewery marks the start of a major agro-industrial venture in Côte d’Ivoire. It has already had a tangible impact on jobs, an effect which will be felt in other sectors as well, particularly in the rice industry. We aim to modernise the beer market in Côte d’Ivoire and create new standards. Our new "Ivoire" beer, which is brewed with pride by our employees for everyone in Côte d’Ivoire, has been warmly welcomed by consumers. It is a real source of pride and we feel honoured by this opportunity. Our goal is to be a partner for growth in Côte d’Ivoire."

Mr. Jean-François van Boxmeer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Heineken N.V. commented: "The construction of this new brewery puts the finishing touch to the HEINEKEN Company’s entry into Côte d’Ivoire. It marks a major milestone in our regional strategy, showing that Africa is full of opportunities and very much part of the company’s future growth."

Mr. Richard Bielle, Chairman and CEO of CFAO commented: "The Brassivoire joint venture model draws on the strengths of both parties. CFAO’s distribution skills and knowledge of the sub-region’s local markets, combined with HEINEKEN’s unrivalled brewing expertise, is a winning combination. The markets in which we operate are suited to this type of model and also create the industrial fabric needed to transform the continent."

Brassivoire is the result of a joint venture between HEINEKEN (51%) and CFAO (49%), which builds on the successful 20-year partnership of Brasseries du Congo (Brasco) in the Republic of Congo.

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