History (Before world war I and II)

The Heineken family entered the beer business in 1864, when Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought a brewery in the heart of Amsterdam. Over the past 140 years, three generations of the Heineken family have built and expanded the brand and the company in Europe and around the world. It is thanks to the leadership of Gerard, Henry and Alfred Heineken that Heineken is one of the world’s leading brewing groups. Today Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken is delegate member of the Board of directors of Heineken Holding N.V.

I will tell about some highlights of Heineken in their history


1864
22-year-old businessman Gerard Adriaan Heineken purchases the "The Haystack" brewery, the largest in the region. He demands and receives full control of shares, realising that sweeping and rapid changes are needed.

1868
To meet increasing consumer demand, a new brewery is built in Amsterdam at the Buitensingel.


1873
Heineken's Bierbrouwerij Maatschappij N.V. (Heineken Breweries or HBM) is incorporated. Gerard Heineken is appointed President and the name 'Haystack' is replaced by Heineken. The brewery stops producing 'workman's beer'.


1875
Heineken beer wins a gold medal at the International Exposition in Paris and regular shipments to the French capital begin. Among others, the Folies Bergere signs up to receive an annual 2000 hectolitres.


1890
Electric lighting is installed at the Amsterdam brewery.


1893
Gerard Adriaan Heineken dies. Under the direction of Gerard Heineken and Wilhelm Feltmann, HBM has grown in its first twenty years from a small company to a large-scale industry. The groundwork has been laid for future expansion.


1914
Henry Heineken obtains a seat on the Executive Board. Heineken welcomes its first woman employee, a telephone operator. Sales of beer brewed under the supervision of Heineken have now climbed to 300,000 hectolitres: 30% more than the beginning of the century



1932 Heineken opens a pilot brewery in Rotterdam, enabling the laboratory to test the results of its own activities. This is almost unique and critically important for trying out new modes of operation and instruction, especially for staff from breweries abroad.