Behind some of South Africa’s most recognised beverage brands are farmers, suppliers, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, tourism operators and employees whose livelihoods are connected to extensive local value chains.
This Heritage Month, Heineken Beverages is highlighting how heritage extends beyond brands themselves to the people, communities and industries that continue creating value through agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, entrepreneurship and employment.
"Heritage is not simply about celebrating where brands come from," says Heineken Beverages corporate affairs director, Tshidi Ramogase. "It is about recognising the people and industries that sustain them today and ensuring they continue creating value for generations to come."
Every heritage brand begins long before it reaches consumers. From Amarula and the communities who harvest marula fruit in Limpopo, to generations of winemaking expertise behind Nederburg, the tourism ecosystem surrounding the House of J.C. Le Roux and the craftsmanship associated with Klipdrift, these brands support agricultural, manufacturing, hospitality and service-sector value chains that extend far beyond the products themselves.
"Before a brand reaches consumers, it begins with growers, transporters, artisans, operators and production teams," says Ramogase. "Protecting heritage means protecting the ecosystems that make these brands possible."
Earlier this year, Heineken Beverages and Soufflet Malt broke ground on a new R2bn malting facility adjacent to the Sedibeng Brewery in Gauteng. Once operational, the facility will produce up to 100,000 tonnes of malt annually and source 100% of its barley locally, strengthening South African agricultural value chains while reducing dependence on imports.
Expected to create between 200 and 400 construction jobs and 55 permanent positions, the facility reflects the company’s broader commitment to localisation, agricultural development and long-term industrial growth.
The company’s approach to growth focuses on broadening participation in the value it creates.
One example is the Bokamoso Employee Share Ownership Plan, which holds a 6% stake in Heineken Beverages South Africa on behalf of employees. The scheme benefits approximately 4,500 employee beneficiaries, representing almost 98% of eligible employees, and recently distributed its first dividend payment.
"Real economic participation means creating opportunities for people to share in growth," says Ramogase.
The same commitment extends to supplier and enterprise development.
Heineken Beverages has committed R775m towards supplier development, localisation and growth initiatives, helping strengthen local industries and create opportunities for entrepreneurs and businesses across its value chain.
Through the Green Seeds Enterprise Development Programme, the company supports small businesses through entrepreneurship training, mentorship, specialist guidance and market-access opportunities.
Between 2023 and 2025, the programme supported 105 small businesses, contributing to reported revenue growth of approximately R51m and supporting around 450 jobs. Building on this foundation, Heineken Beverages aims to extend Green Seeds to a further 500 small businesses across the hospitality and agriculture sectors.
Preserving heritage is about more than celebrating the past. It is about investing in the people, skills, industries and communities that will shape the future.
Through its Brew a Better World strategy, Heineken Beverages continues investing in responsible consumption, water stewardship, climate resilience, energy efficiency and circular packaging solutions that support the long-term resilience of the communities and value chains connected to its business.
While many of the brands in the portfolio have histories that stretch back generations, their continued relevance depends on the value they create today and the value they can sustain into the future.
Although Heineken Beverages was formed in 2023 through the amalgamation of Heineken South Africa, Distell and Namibia Breweries, the stories behind these brands began long before that. What the combination brought together was not only a portfolio of established brands, but also the people, capabilities, industries and communities behind them.
"Heritage is not a licence to stand still," says Ramogase. "It is a responsibility to invest in what comes next. By supporting local agriculture, suppliers, employees, entrepreneurs and communities, we are helping ensure these brands continue creating value for South Africa long into the future."
For Heineken Beverages, Heritage Month is not only a celebration of where its brands have come from, but also a recognition of the people, partnerships and investments helping carry them forward.
