Heineken Reforms its Breweries in France

The reorganisation will further focus Heineken’s business in France on the branded and growing premium segments of the market.

 The reorganisation includes an
investment of EUR 124 million over the next three years to upgrade
the breweries in Mons-en-Barœul (North of France), Schiltigheim
(Alsace) and Marseille
The company closes Brasserie Fischer in
Schiltigheim by the end of 2009 and the gradual transfer of its
production to the l’Espérance brewery in Schiltigheim.
Heineken sales the Saint Omer brewery, the non-branded beer business.

The exceptional restructuring costs associated to the
reorganization will be charged to the 2008 and 2009 consolidated
profit and loss accounts and will be recovered in 3 years after
completion of the program.
It is expected that the total
reorganisation will lead to 126 job losses in Alsace and 62 in
Mons-en-Barœul by the end of 2010. Heineken will collaborate with
the trade unions to offer impacted staff a sound social support
programme. Regarding the sale of the Saint Omer brewery, negotiations
are under way with its former owner and current chairman. This
transaction will not impact current jobs or activities of the Saint
Omer brewery.
Following the sale of the Saint Omer brewery and the
closure of the Fischer brewery, Heineken in France will own three
breweries with a capacity of over six million hectolitres.