Slovenia’s largest brewery turns 200

It all started in 1825, when Franz Geyer started brewing steinbier beer in a former hospital in Lasko. It was a unique type of beer that was popular in the region at the time.

The company he founded is now celebrating its 200th anniversary and is the country’s largest beverage producer. It currently employs 400 people and in 2023, the latest year for which data is available, it generated sales of €176 million and a net profit of €44 million.

Over the course of two centuries, the company has undergone countless transformations. It changed hands several times in the 19th century, was completely destroyed during World War II, was nationalized and rebuilt, and was finally privatized in the early 1990s.

In the early 2000s, it was often in the media spotlight due to the so-called “brewery wars”, when Pivovarna Lasko and Pivovarna Union competed for market dominance and completely bankrupted themselves financially.

Ten years ago, Heineken acquired both breweries, divesting itself of the soft drink brands and focusing solely on brewing.

Today, the company has three main product pillars: Lasko, Union and Heineken beers, and has joined the global trend of non-alcoholic beer production.

The brewery’s 200th anniversary is being celebrated in the town of Lasko with an exhibition showcasing the history of beer production.