Local involvement

Brewery De Hoorn-Palm enjoys sponsoring events in the area. In 2023, for example, some 500 participants rode a brisk gravel bike ride during the first edition of Gravalhalla. Our brewery in Steenhuffel was the start and finish location. On Sunday, May 7, Steenhuffel was the scene of the Great Breweries Marathon. With 5,200 participants, the experience marathon and half marathon for runners and walkers between 3 breweries was again a great success. This year, for the 31st time, “the biggest smallest festival in Flanders” took place: Parkies. There were about 135 free concerts to enjoy, in 19 Flemish municipalities, and visitors obviously also enjoyed Cornet.

In 2023 as well, breweries De Hoorn-Palm and Rodenbach supported the AEHT Cornet Trophy. A competition for Belgian hotel and tourism schools and the preselection for the European AEHT competition. The AEHT Cornet Trophy focuses on 4 disciplines: Culinary Art, Restaurant Service, Pastry and Tourist Destination. The breweries want to give students following an on-trade program the opportunity to hone their skills in beer and gastronomy and learn about the rich beer culture of Belgium.

As is the case every year, brewery Rodenbach sponsored the cycling spectacle Na-Tourcriterium in Roeselare. Jasper Philipsen won this 13th edition. We also sponsored the Rodenbach Carnival as always. In addition, beer lovers were again welcome last summer at the summer bar in the brewery’s courtyard in Roeselare. The summer bar was open every Tuesday evening where visitors enjoyed Rodenbach beers and live music.

Rodenbach beer also flowed richly from the huge cask “’t Vat van Rodenbach” on Roeselare’s Grote Markt in June. Already for the 35th time, the cask was filled with 3,400 liters Rodenbach. In this way, beer lovers traditionally celebrated the start of the Batjes; Roeselare’s summer sales.

The brewers at Brewery De Molen are convinced that unexpected combinations add more color and flavor to life. This is reflected in the surprising ingredient combinations of De Molen beers, as well as in the long-standing partnership with the Philadelphia Foundation in the Netherlands. A care facility for those that are mentally disabled. Philadelphia has its own workshop at the brewery, where a total of 25 participants help the brewery with a variety of tasks.

In 2023, the collaboration produced a delicious beer: Stoof & Peer. The flavor was devised by Philadelphia participants. “Tasty? Super tasty!” according to participant Wim.

Brewery De Koningshoeven enjoys contributing to many great causes and organizations through donations. In 2023, for example, we donated to the Food Bank and to Made Blue, for clean drinking water in developing countries. We also contributed to BuyWorld through proceeds from La Trappe Puur. BuyWorld is buying up land so that nature and biodiversity in that area can be restored. In addition, we donated a portion of the proceeds from Isid’or in the Dutch on-trade industry to the construction of a bamboo factory and school in Uganda. This project focuses on promoting employment and self-reliance in the region.

To combat food waste, the Tasting Room has been offering “leftover meals” to colleagues at De Koningshoeven starting this year. With the money we raise this way, we support Quiet Tilburg; a foundation focused on fighting poverty in the Tilburg region. By offering the leftover meals, we simultaneously create awareness around the Tasting Room’s overall food waste. We also donated EUR 1 from every tasting board sold to Serve the City, a foundation committed to counteract loneliness among the elderly, among other things.

This year, more than 30 colleagues and their partners helped clean the beach in Noordwijk. In addition, we made a donation to the North Sea Foundation. The North Sea Foundation is the organization par excellence when it comes to the protection and sustainable use of the North Sea.

With donations to the Kleiklooster and Caritas Belgium, we contributed to the wonderful work they do. Proceeds from the limited edition beer, La Trappe Traditionair, went to the Kleiklooster shelter. Women and their children can stay there temporarily and take time to recover.

Cordaid’s Belgian equivalent, Caritas, is committed to fighting poverty, supporting victims of climate disasters and supporting refugees. They, too, received a donation.

In Lieshout, we have been collaborating with IVN (Institute for Nature Education and Sustainability) for many years. The staff monitors nature development on our property and maintains the swallow wall found there. At the beginning of the year, IVN provides fresh sand for the swallow wall. Every year we see more of these beautiful birds using the wall and building their nests in the fresh sand.

In December 2022, instead of receiving a Christmas hamper, we offered our employees the opportunity to donate money to a good cause. This allowed us to donate a nice amount to an orphanage and nursing home near our brewery in Ehtiopia in 2023. Both homes were in great need of food and other materials such as beds, cribs, wheelchairs and wheeled walkers. Through the donations of our colleagues, we were able to fulfill those wishes.

Our brewery Habesha in Ethiopia has its own fire brigade. The firefighters guard the safety of our people, the brewery and the environment. On average, the brigade helps put out about four fires a year in the city of Debre Birhan. Also in 2023, the brigade was of great significance to the city and its residents.

In the vicinity of brewery Habesha, Royal Swinkels Family Brewers supports eight unions; farming communities of a number of member farmers. We divide our brewers’ grain among the unions. They use the product to feed their livestock and for trade. This is also how the union generates revenue. In addition to brewers’ grain, we provided clean drinking water, treated wastewater for irrigation and free electricity for the community in 2023. Youth from the union received Hi Viz vests for their work in the parking service. Furthermore, we constructed 2 watering places for livestock and contributed to the renovation of the homes of 6 persons in need.

In November 2023, Uiltje Brewing Company paid special attention to Movember with the beer “Hug a bro.” Movember aims to make a difference in the areas of mental health, suicide prevention and prostate and testicular cancer in men. Through the “Hug a bro” beer, Uiltje Brewing Company encourages beer lovers to ask their “bro” how they are really doing and put their arms around each other. Through a social campaign, Uiltje drew attention to this.