About us

We are Royal Swinkels

Royal Swinkels Family Brewers Holding N.V. is the holding company of the Swinkels Family Brewers Group, a 100% independent family business. For eight generations and well over three hundred years.

As the Swinkels family, we now lead a group of companies. This group includes various brewery locations; brewery Bavaria in Lieshout (The Netherlands), brewery De Molen in Bodegraven (The Netherlands), Uiltje Brewing Company in Haarlem (the Netherlands), brewery Palm and brewery De Hoorn in Steenhuffel (Belgium), brewery Rodenbach in Roeselare (Belgium), brewery Habesha in Debre Birhan (Ethiopia) and brewery Cerveceria Cubana in Mariel (Cuba). The family also collaborates closely with beer brewery De Koningshoeven in Berkel-Enschot (The Netherlands). We also have a minority stake in the Georgian brewery Argo. Combined, these breweries accounted for the production of 6.9 million hectoliters beer and 618,000 hectoliters soft drinks in 2023.

We are an independent family of brewers and malters

Bier&cO, distributor of specialty beers, adds a large portfolio of traditionally brewed specialty beers to our range. In addition to the breweries and Bier&cO, the malting plants of Holland Malt in Lieshout and Eemshaven also form part of the group. In 2023, these malting plants accounted for the production and sale of 405,000 tons of malt. In addition, business unit CereX produces around 2,000 tons of malt extracts and compounds each year. The focus of CereX is on upgrading residual flows. In 2023, Royal Swinkels Family Brewers added a business unit: Swinkels Real Estate. In this business unit, we manage the real estate of on-trade, distribution and production locations.

As an independent family of brewers and maltsters we now employ more than 1,865 employees worldwide. Daringly, we have sailed our own independent course for over 300 years. This means consistently delivering quality, where all of our premium malts, beers and non-alcoholic beverages are concerned. We make this happen through operational optimization and constant innovation. In doing so, we think beyond today; our long-term vision inspires us in everything we do. Our goal? Passing on an even more beautiful company to future generations.

Purpose, vision and strategy

We are Royal Swinkels Family Brewers, and we encourage a culture where we value people for who they are. We combine proactivity with operational excellence and together strive for a better, healthier and more sustainable business for future generations.

We treat the world around us as our own. As a family business, we believe in entrepreneurship and lasting relationships. We are conquering the world by working together as one family and embracing everyone’s talent. We are pioneers; we see opportunities and seize them, push boundaries and adapt to new circumstances. We take responsibility for results, and what we start, we finish. This is how we get better every day. As maltsters and brewers, we have a passion for beer and pursue the highest standards of quality and craftsmanship. As a family business, we think in generations rather than years and, as a result, we do many things a little differently. With our spirit of discovery, we consciously opt for sustainable growth through new activities and acquisitions.

Our ambition is to become a fully circular company. We do not waste raw materials and energy and ensure that they retain as much value as possible. By using data and technology in smart and sustainable ways, we create lasting value for everyone in our family; customers, employees, business contacts, shareholders and the world around us. In this way, we contribute to a more sustainable world and pass on an even more beautiful company to future generations.

Figure: Our strategy house

Our focus and ambitions

To make our activities and the topics on which we report more targeted, we have formulated five focal points based on our strategy, stakeholder interests and material themes.

 

  • Sustainable growth
    Sustainable growth
  • We want to be able to pass on a financially sound company to future generations. We would like to grow, but only in a responsible and sustainable manner.

    Ambition
    • Further growth of the turnover and EBITDA
    • A healthy solvency and improved liquidity
    Achievements 2023
    • EUR 1,128.2 million in turnover
    • EUR 127.1 million EBITDA
    • Liquidity 0.95
    • Solvency 46.0
    Read all about sustainable growth
  • Circular business model
    Circular business model
  • For us, nothing beats caring for a healthy and sustainable world to live in. That is why we want to operate on the basis of a fully circular business model. To achieve this we focus on circular procurement, circular production and high-quality reuse.

    Ambition
    • Fully circular business operations (according to our own calculation method)

    Achievements 2023
    • Achieved 61% circular business operations in 2023 (according to our own calculation method and based on the most recent data)
    Read all about circular business model
  • Safety and well-being
    Safety and well-being
  • We find it important that our staff and partners can travel to work and go back home again safely and healthy every day, as well as work safely, but also that they feel involved and appreciated.

    Ambition
    • Zero lost time accidents and less than 3% absenteeism due to illness by 2025
    Achievements 2023
    • 17 lost time accidents
    • 2.7% absenteeism due to illness
    Read all about safety and well-being
  • Responsible drinking
    Responsible drinking
  • We want consumers to enjoy our beers responsibly. That is why we encourage responsible drinking. For this we enter into collaborations and pursue a clear alcohol policy. In addition, we continue to develop alcohol alternatives, such as tasty 0.0% beers.

    Ambition
    • Full compliance with our international Responsible Marketing and Communication Code and an annually growing volume of non-alcoholic and low-alcohol beers
    Achievements 2023
    • 11.7% non-alcoholic beers and low-alcohol beers of total beer volume sold
    Read all about responsible drinking
  • Local involvement
    Local involvement
  • Everywhere in the world, it should be mainly the society that benefits from our presence. That is why we collaborate with surrounding residents to find ways to add value locally. Thus, we ensure that local communities can find enjoyment in what we build and brew.

    Ambition
    • Each brewery location has a program with local projects in line with the circularity requirements and CSR policy
    Achievements 2023
    • All brewery locationsare involved in local projects
    Read all about local involvement

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About us