Dutch brewing giant Heineken said Friday it has lost operational control of its facilities in eastern Congo due to escalating conflict in the region and has pulled out all remaining staff.
Armed groups have taken over the company’s sites in Bukavu and Goma — the two largest cities in eastern Congo — as well as surrounding areas, Heineken said in a statement. The facilities had already been suspended since March after some were damaged and depots looted during clashes between government forces and M23 rebels.
“As of June 12, 2025, the conditions required to operate responsibly and safely are no longer present,” the company said.
Heineken’s local subsidiary, Bralima, still operates in parts of Congo not affected by the violence. The company said it is monitoring the situation and continues to support evacuated staff financially.
The Bukavu site alone employed around 1,000 people. The brewer operates four plants in Congo, producing Heineken, Primus, and Amstel brands. Before the shutdown, facilities in Goma, Bukavu and Uvira made up about one-third of Heineken’s business in the country.
Congo’s army is battling the M23 rebel group, which has seized key territory in recent months. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of backing the rebels, a charge Kigali denies. On Wednesday, the U.S., Congo, and Rwanda said technical teams had initialed a draft peace agreement expected to be signed next week.