Heineken announced on Friday that, following United Breweries Limited’s (UBL) annual general meeting on 29 July, it has obtained control of UBL in India. This follows Heineken’s recent acquisition of additional ordinary shares in UBL on 23 June 2021, taking its shareholding in UBL from 46.5% to 61.5%.
UBL becomes a top Heineken operating company; while Kingfisher beer becomes a top five global brand.
With low per capita beer consumption in the country (around 2 liters per annum) and a large and growing population of nearly 1.4 billion people, Heineken identifies long-term growth opportunities in the country.
Its growing population of nearly 1.4 billion people includes a strong emerging middle class, enabling further premiumisation.
“UBL has a proud history dating back more than a century as an influential shaper of the beer industry in India,” said Dolf van den Brink, CEO, Heineken.
“It built its position as the undisputed market leader in India with a strong network of breweries across the country and a fantastic portfolio led by its iconic Kingfisher brand family, complemented more recently by a strong Heineken international brand portfolio.
"We are honored to build on this legacy and look forward to working with our colleagues at UBL to continue to win in the market, delight consumers and customers and unlock future growth.”