Heineken Serbia has announced a capital investment of EUR 16 million in its Novi Sad brewery, which is one of the largest recent investments made by the company in Vojvodina. The investment includes an additional line for cans and an upgraded line for glass packaging, resulting in significantly higher operational and logistic efficiency and a production rate increase of almost 50%. The press release states that this investment has also led to a reduction of over 1,000 tons of CO2 emissions during the distribution process, a decrease of 20%. Additionally, the brewery can now achieve up to 100% usage of its production capacities.
Neda Djokic, the general manager of Heineken Srbija, emphasized that this investment is a sign of the company’s commitment to long-term sustainable operations in Serbia.
The Netherlands Ambassador to Serbia, Joost Reintjes, highlighted that bilateral trade between the Netherlands and Serbia has exceeded EUR 1 billion and that the Netherlands remains one of the most significant sources of foreign direct investment in Serbia.
Heineken sources 84% of its beer production ingredients from Vojvodina, and its annual purchases from local suppliers amount to EUR 11 million.
According to Igor Mirovic, the President of the Provincial Government, it is crucial to purchase raw materials from the Vojvodina market. During a discussion with the company’s management, they analyzed the issue of the rising prices of these raw materials and concluded that additional financial incentives should be provided to support the producers. This measure aims to ensure the safety of both the raw material producers and breweries, allowing them to continue purchasing from the local market, thus maintaining an unbroken supply chain in the future.
Milan Djuric, the Mayor of Novi Sad, also remarked that Heineken Serbia is evidence of the excellent business environment in Novi Sad and the city’s ability to attract global investors.