OREANDA-NEWS. October 14, 2010. Belarusian IZAO Syabar Brewery has been renamed IZAO Heineken Breweries starting October 4, 2010, the company said in a statement.

According to the press release, Syabar has proved that its activity met the international standards of Heineken, and the investor allowed the rename.

Syabar was acquired in December 2007. In the summer of 2008, Heineken completed a 12 million-euro modernization of Syabar, increasing the capacity of the company to 14-17 million decaliters annually, depending on the number of brands.

Syabar was equipped with cutting-edge production technologies, and the approaches to quality management were upgraded. In August 2009, the company adopted HACCP management standards.

Syabar’s management and financial accounting systems have also been upgraded toward Heineken standards, Syabar said.

As a result of its efforts to improve quality and management standards, Syabar has managed to increase its market share to 19.4% in August 2010, according to Belgospischeprom concern.

“Heineken is the only brewery in Belarus that consistently pursues import-substituting policies, with import substitution volume exceeding 1 million decaliters in 2010,” the statement reads.

Heineken also controls Belarus-based brewery Rechitsapivo.

The Belarusian breweries controlled by Heineken increased beer production 66.5% on the year in January-August 2010 to 5.85 million decaliters. (Br3,010 - USD 1)