Heineken in race for MB Brewery?

Heineken in race for MB Brewery?

25 October 2007 | 16:48 | Source: Beta, EM Online

BELGRADE -- Speculation is rife that the new owner of Novi Sad-based MB Brewery might be Heineken. Brewery owners are in negotiations with four big global beer priducers about the sale of their company, MB Advertising Director Vladislava Epifanić has meanwhile confirmed. The four companies expressed interest a year and a half ago, she said, but declined to reveal their identities "for business reasons." Epifanić also would not specify if any of the four were already present in the Serbian market. But Belgrade daily Biznis reported on Wednesday that one of the global leaders in beer production, Holland's Heineken, was "only a step away from acquiring MB Brewery, although executives claim that the contract has not been signed yet." The Novi Sad brewery was constructed in 2002, and has a production capacity of five million hectoliters of beer, which equals Serbia's annual consumption, therefore no one should be surprised by foreign investors' interest, according to Epifanić. The Business Register Agency says that MB's assets are worth some EUR 145mn, while its revenues in 2006 amounted to EUR 18.5mn, with a EUR 6.5mn profit. MB Brewery is owned by Rodić MB Holding.