Dutch brewing company Heineken NV on Friday announced an investment of NT$13.5 billion (US$414.62 million) over the next five years in Taiwan.
The first multinational brewing company to operate in Taiwan, Heineken made the statement at a ceremony held at its brewery in Pingtung County.
It also outlined its efforts to make the brewery “net zero” by 2030.
Photo: Chen Yen-ting, Taipei Times
Heineken has been in the Taiwanese market for 20 years, Heineken Taiwan managing director Jeff Wu (吳建甫) said.
With strong support from local consumers, the Dutch brewery decided to transition from sales to manufacturing in the country, Wu said.
Heineken assumed majority ownership and management rights of the Long Chuan Zuan Co (龍泉鑽興業) brewery in Pingtung County’s Neipu Township (內埔) in 2022.
The brewery began production in the first quarter of this year.
Wu said that Heineken hopes to supply “Made in Taiwan” products to neighboring countries from its Pingtung brewery, allowing Taiwan-made products to gain global recognition.
Taiwan is Heineken’s second-largest export market in the world, with production at the Pingtung brewery looking to supply the East Asian market, Vice President William Lai (賴清德) said during his speech at the ceremony.
The investment means a lot to Taiwan and its farmers, Lai added.
He said that Heineken’s Pingtung brewery seeking to go net zero is truly remarkable and should serve as a benchmark for others in Taiwan’s brewing industry.
The president-elect also mentioned Pingtung’s fertile soil and skilled farmers, saying that he hopes locally sourced brewing barley would elevate the Pingtung brewery and make it one of the Dutch company’s top-quality breweries among its 160 around the world.
Pingtung County Commissioner Chou Chun-mi (周春米) was also in attendance.
Chou said she was very happy that Pingtung is the first city in Taiwan to be chosen for production by an international brewing company and is proud to see “Made in Taiwan” on Heineken canned beer.
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