In a deal valued at PLN500 million (US$131.6m) Heineken’s Polish unit Grupa Żywiec has signed an agreement with Chicago Poland Investment Group to fully acquire one of the largest regional breweries in Poland, Browar Namysłów, Namysłów has a production of about 1.7 million hl of beer per year and runs two breweries in Namysłów and Braniewo, in the south-west and the north-east of Poland. Main brands are Namyslów, Braniewo, Zamkowe and Kuflowe.
Michael Gostomski, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and the majority shareholder of Browar Namysłów said: "The Namysłów Brewery belongs to the Gostomski Family for over 20 years. Since that time we have developed this company from a small local brewery into a major regiWojciech Szczepaniakonal player. This transformation was possible thanks to the cooperation of the Namysłów residents, the dedication and hard work of our employees and the talented management team under the direction of . We are glad that we will join forces with Grupa Żywiec and we believe that this partnership will allow the company and employees to fully develop their potential."
"The beer market in Poland is undergoing a revolution, and consumers are looking for more and more variety. Beer specialties and regional beers are invariably the fastest growing market segment. Grupa Żywiec and Namysłów Brewery complement each other. As a result of dynamic development in recent years, Namysłów Brewery has achieved the position of the fastest growing regional brewery in Poland," said Guillaume Duverdier, president of the management board of Grupa Żywiec. “We are convinced that in-depth knowledge of the beer specialty market and the flexibility of the Namysłów Brewery and our expertise and experience in building strong brands on a larger scale is the perfect combination that creates a recipe for success in the changing market.”
Grupa Żywiec is a leader in the premium segment and is the second biggest brewing companies in Poland with a yearly production of over 11 million hl of beer. Grupa Żywiec operates five breweries in Poland in Żywiec, Warka, Elbląg, Leżajsk, and Cieszyn. Brands include Żywiec, Heineken, Desperados, Warka, Tatra, EB, Królewskie, Specjal, and Leżajsk.
Market leader in Poland is Kompania Piwowarska with brands including Tyskie and Lech which is since two years part of Asahi Group Holdings (inside.beer, 13.12.2016) and has a production of about 13 million hl of beer.
