Heineken : With Brassivoire, HEINEKEN and CFAO open one of West Africa's most modern breweries in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

New brewery with production capacity of 1.6 million hectolitres per annum

Amsterdam, 5 April 2017 - HEINEKEN and CFAO have today opened a state of the art brewery constructed by their joint venture, Brassivoire, in the Anyama industrial zone, 24 kilometres to the north of Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire's economic capital. The Vice-President of the Republic, His Excellency Mr. Daniel Kablan Duncan, the Prime Minister, His Excellency Mr. Amadou Gon Coulibaly and the Minister of Industry and Mines, Mr. Jean-Claude Brou, as well as senior representatives of the two partner companies attended the opening ceremony.

HEINEKEN was represented by Mrs. Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken and Mr. Michel de Carvalho, Executive Board members of Heineken Holding N.V., and by the Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Heineken N.V., Mr. Jean-François van Boxmeer. CFAO was represented by Mr. Richard Bielle, Chairman and CEO, and Mr. Jun Karube, President and CEO of the Toyota Tsusho Corporation, a shareholder in CFAO. Brassivoire was represented by its General Manager, Mr. Alexander Koch.

The inauguration marks the completion of a 13-month construction project, following investment of nearly 100 billion FCFA (EUR 150 million), resulting in a brewery with a brewing capacity of 1.6 million hectolitres per annum. Brassivoire has been brewing 'Ivoire' beer in Côte d'Ivoire since November 2016, and distributes the brand, as well as the Heineken® and Desperados brands, all over the country. Two hundred direct jobs have been created since work started on the brewery in September 2015. The use of rice in addition to malted barley in brewing 'Ivoire' beer will boost the growth of the country's rice sector.

Mr. Alexander Koch, General Manager of Brassivoire, commented: 'For us, the opening of our new brewery marks the start of a major agro-industrial venture in Côte d'Ivoire. It has already had a tangible impact on jobs, an effect which will be felt in other sectors as well, particularly in the rice industry. We aim to modernise the beer market in Côte d'Ivoire and create new standards. Our new 'Ivoire' beer, which is brewed with pride by our employees for everyone in Côte d'Ivoire, has been warmly welcomed by consumers. It is a real source of pride and we feel honoured by this opportunity. Our goal is to be a partner for growth in Côte d'Ivoire.'

Mr. Jean-François van Boxmeer, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Heineken N.V. commented: 'The construction of this new brewery puts the finishing touch to the HEINEKEN Company's entry into Côte d'Ivoire. It marks a major milestone in our regional strategy, showing that Africa is full of opportunities and very much part of the company's future growth.'

Mr. Richard Bielle, Chairman and CEO of CFAO commented: 'The Brassivoire joint venture model draws on the strengths of both parties. CFAO's distribution skills and knowledge of the sub-region's local markets, combined with HEINEKEN's unrivalled brewing expertise, is a winning combination. The markets in which we operate are suited to this type of model and also create the industrial fabric needed to transform the continent.'

Brassivoire is the result of a joint venture between HEINEKEN (51%) and CFAO (49%), which builds on the successful 20-year partnership of Brasseries du Congo (Brasco) in the Republic of Congo.

HEINEKEN

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CFAO
Françoise Remarck-Le Guennou
Vice-President Communications and Institutional Relationships
T: +33 1 46 23 58 70
E: fremarckleguennou@cfao.com

Bénédicte Guillien
External Communication Manager
T: + 33 1 46 23 59 91
E: bguillien@cfao.com
CFAO press agency
35°Nord
Romain Grandjean
T: +33 6 73 47 53 99
E: rg@35nord.com

Editorial information:

About HEINEKEN
HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken® brand, the Group has a powerful portfolio of more than 250 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through 'Brewing a Better World', sustainability is embedded in the business and delivers value for all stakeholders. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ approximately 73,500 people and operate more than 165 breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY). Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN's website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com and follow us via @HEINEKENCorp.

About CFAO
CFAO is a front-ranking specialized distributor in Africa and French Overseas Territories, and preferred partner of major international brands. The Group is the leading player in automotive and pharmaceutical distribution and continues to grow in the distribution of consumer goods, along with new technologies. The Group is directly active in 35 countries of Africa and provides access to 53 of the 54 countries on the continent. It is also located in 7 French Overseas Territories. CFAO employs 14,800 people. To find out more, go to: www.cfaogroup.com

About Brassivoire
Brassivoire is a joint venture formed by HEINEKEN and CFAO in Côte d'Ivoire. HEINEKEN owns 51% of the company and CFAO 49%. Brassivoire has a capital of 24,267,910,000 FCFA and specialises in the production and sale of beer.
Brassivoire laid the foundation stone for its new brewery on 25 September 2015 in the new PK 24 industrial estate north of Abidjan. On 14 November 2016, it launched 'Ivoire', its first beer brewed in Côte d'Ivoire. The brewery represents an investment of FCFA 100 billion (approx. €150 million) and has an annual production capacity of 1.6 million hectolitres of beer. After five months of production, Brassivoire currently employs 200 people, a workforce that is set to grow significantly as the company continues to invest and ramp up its business. To find out more, go to: www.brassivoire.ci

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