Heineken halts beer production, sales in Russia

Dutch brewer Heineken became on Wednesday the latest foreign business to halt its operations in Russia over Moscow’s war in Ukraine, saying it would stop selling and producing beer there.

The world’s second-biggest beer company had already suspended new investments and exports to Russia last week.

“We are shocked and saddened to watch the tragedy in Ukraine unfold,” Heineken chief executive Dolf van den Brink said in a statement.

“The Russian government’s war against Ukraine is an unprovoked and completely unjustified attack,” he said.

The company said it was stopping the production, advertising and sale of the Heineken brand in Russia “in response to the continued escalation of the war”.

Heineken employs 1,800 people in Russia and says it is the third-biggest brewer in the country, where it makes the Zhigulevskoe and Oxota brands for the local market.

The brewer said it would take “immediate steps to ring-fence” its Russian business from the rest of its global operations “to stop the flow of monies, royalties and dividends out of Russia.”

“Heineken will no longer accept any net financial benefit derived from our Russian operations,” it said.

Heineken’s other famous brands include Amstel, Tiger and Strongbow cider.

About 300 companies have announced their withdrawal from Russia since it invaded neighbouring Ukraine, according to Yale University researchers.

McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Starbucks joined the crowd on Tuesday following public pressure to do so.

French rail giant Alstom announced on Wednesday that it was suspending deliveries to Russia as well as future businesses investments there.

But Alstom said it was keeping its stake in Russian locomotives and rail equipment provider Transmashholding.