Heineken completed its withdrawal from DR Congo, ending more than a century of operations in the country after a turbulent two-year period marked by conflict that severed supply routes and raised security costs.
The Dutch brewer’s exit unfolded in two steps. Last year, Heineken offloaded its Bukavu brewery in eastern Congo for €1 after losing operational control amid an advance by armed groups. And last week, it sold its remaining stake in Bralima — its long-standing Congolese unit — to ELNA Holdings, a Mauritius-based operator. Heineken will retain ownership of its regional brands.
Eastern Congo has experienced some of its worst violence in years, with M23 rebels seizing large parts of North Kivu and advancing toward the regional capital, Goma, disrupting road links and border crossings. That made it hard for Heineken to safely access the Bukavu site and raised logistics and security costs.