Heineken to build new brewery in Switzerland
The new brewery will retain Eichhof production in Lucerne while higher-volume brewing shifts to Chur as Heineken modernises its Swiss manufacturing footprint.
SWITZERLAND – Heineken is planning a new city-centre brewery for its Eichhof brand in Lucerne, Switzerland, as part of a wider redevelopment of its existing site.
Heineken Switzerland said it will invest a “double-digit million euro” amount in a new Eichhof brewery and modernise its headquarters in Lucerne. Commissioning of the new facility is expected from 2030.
The brewery will produce and bottle the full Eichhof range and will also manufacture seasonal and limited-edition products, as well as new innovations.
Under the new production structure, part of the higher-volume production will be transferred to Heineken’s second Swiss brewery in Chur.
Heineken Switzerland has also signed a joint declaration of intent with the cities of Lucerne and Kriens and the municipal association LuzernPlus to gradually redevelop the approximately 38,000-square-metre Eichhof site.
The redevelopment is planned as a mixed residential and living district, while the new brewery and headquarters will maintain Heineken’s presence in Lucerne.
Marc Moser, Heineken Switzerland country manager, said the company was committed to keeping Eichhof in the city.
“Eichhof belongs to Lucerne, and that’s how it should stay in the future. That’s why we’re investing in a new, fully-fledged brewery and our headquarters in Lucerne,” Moser said.
The investment comes as Heineken continues to reshape its global manufacturing footprint and operating model.
In February, the brewer announced plans to cut up to 6,000 jobs over two years as part of efforts to create a “simpler” and “leaner” operating model and generate annual savings of €400 million to €500 million.
Heineken has subsequently changed production arrangements in several markets. In March, the company announced plans to phase down large-scale brewing in Singapore by the end of 2027, with imports from Malaysia and Vietnam expected to supply the market.
In April, Heineken sold its Bralima business in the Democratic Republic of Congo as part of its strategy to become more asset-light in selected markets.
In its first-half results, Heineken reported a 4.7% increase in net revenue to €14.84 billion ($17.30 billion), while organic revenue grew 2.7%. Organic EBIT increased 6.7% to €2.17 billion, supported by productivity measures, including job reductions.
However, the brewer said consumer sentiment in the Americas “remained subdued”, with regional volumes falling 3.4%. Europe, meanwhile, was described by CFO Harold van den Broek as “stabilising”.
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