Alken-Maes, a subsidiary of Heineken, has recently made a significant investment of 4.7 million euros in a new packaging line at the brewery in Alken, Limburg. This move is part of the company’s efforts to meet the growing demand for their Desperados beers in Belgium. Desperados, which was first brewed in France in 1995 and later acquired by Heineken, has been brewed at Alken-Maes since 2020.
To meet this demand, Alken-Maes has decided to switch to reusable bottles for their Desperados beers. The company will now handle the entire production process and distribution of Desperados, allowing them to package the bottles themselves with the new packaging line. This transition will enable Alken-Maes to ensure that 80 percent of the beer they produce is available in sustainable packaging.
The new Desperados bottles are already available in stores, with most retailers having made the switch as of March. CEO Marc Josephus Jitta emphasized the importance of this change for the brewery’s sustainability efforts. “We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and providing consumers with sustainable options,” he said. “By switching to reusable bottles, we are taking an important step towards achieving these goals.”
Alken-Maes plans to release 9 million reusable bottles to the market as part of this initiative. Consumers are encouraged not to insert a piece of lime into the bottles as it can be difficult to remove and may lead to wastage. The company believes that this change will not only benefit the environment but also appeal to consumers who value sustainability in their purchasing decisions.
Overall, Alken-Maes’ investment in a new packaging line and switch to reusable bottles for its Desperados beers is an important step towards sustainability and meeting consumer demand for sustainable options.