Fomento Económico Mexicano S.A.B. de C.V. (FEMSA) has officially sold its remaining shares in Dutch brewing group Heineken, ending a 15-year partnership. The final sale generated EUR 359 million (USD 391 million), marking the company's complete withdrawal from both Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V.
The transaction involved the sale of approximately 5.2 million shares at EUR 68.70 (USD 77.32) each. This move completes FEMSA's gradual exit from the brewer, following a strategic review announced in early 2023 to focus on its core business areas such as retail, logistics, and fintech.
FEMSA originally became a strategic shareholder in Heineken in 2010 by exchanging its beer operations, including the Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma brand portfolio, for a 20% stake in the Dutch group. Since then, FEMSA has steadily reduced its stake, including a significant sale in 2023 when Heineken repurchased nearly 7% of its own shares, part of which came from FEMSA (inside.beer, 17.02.2023).
The completion of the divestment gives FEMSA greater financial flexibility to expand its convenience store chain OXXO, invest in logistics, and strengthen its digital financial services. For Heineken, the departure of a key Latin American investor may signal more autonomy but removes a long-standing regional partner from its shareholder base.
