For the past five years, Deon Engelbrecht and his team have built the Stellenbrau brand, which has four signature beers: an international award-winning Craven Craft Lager, Jonker’s Weiss, Alumni Ale and Governor’s Red Rooibos Lager. Heineken International, which is the second largest brewer in the world and owns Amstel and a share in Windhoek South Africa, operates largely in the premium and super-premium segment of both the local and international market.
According to Heineken South Africa’s MD, Ruud van den Eijnden, “Stellenbrau was a natural fit, as it is what Heineken was 150 years ago, sharing the same essential values - a love of and pride in producing great beer and an entrepreneurial spirit. We are excited to welcome the entire team to the Heineken family.”
Van den Eijnden went on to praise Engelbrecht for his brewery’s high standards, distinct and accessible product range and strong brand identity. “We want to thank you for bringing the business to this level. In the premium segment, stories are so important to brand perception. The company’s beers all have such incredible histories behind them.
“Heineken wants Stellenbrau to keep doing what it does best, as the group has no plans to ‘corporatise’ the brewery. If we combine forces, we can do so much more together. The best thing you can do for us is to keep your identity. We can learn as much from you as you can from us.”
Stellenbrau will continue using the same recipes and brewing methods. The main benefits will be that it will be able to tap into the experience and knowledge of a worldwide role-player in the beer market, through improved efficiencies, for example, a route to market, marketing, brand management and distribution.
Engelbrecht added, “It was a momentous day, as the journey has been a long road, but also an exceptional one. We believe that this landmark collaboration is testimony to what we have attempted to achieve locally, creating a distinct range of premium beers with character and accessibility. That an international contender of Heineken’s reputation recognises this vision and supports it is a source of pride for all of us here at the brewery.”
