Heineken announced in early September that it is entering the Peruvian beer market through the acquisition of local beer brand Tres Cruces and the incorporation of its local operating team in Lima. Heineken aims to build a diverse portfolio in Peru consisting of local beer brands, complemented with its range of leading international brands. 

To support its strategy in Peru, Heineken is entering into a strategic partnership with Peruvian beverage player AJE Group (AJE). AJE is a leader in numerous non-alcoholic beverages, with a strong route-to-market and distribution network across Peru. AJE will be Heineken’s local sales and distribution partner in the highly relevant traditional channel in the country. 

Marc Busain, President Americas at Heineken said: “While we are navigating the global COVID-19 crisis, we are also building for the future. Therefore, we are pleased to announce that we continue to expand our footprint in South America entering a strategic market such as Peru. Peru has favourable demographics and is a promising beer market. Our partnership with AJE will be instrumental to grow our business in the country. We are pleased that our investment will significantly expand the beer category in Peru. Given that these are challenging times also for Peru, our thoughts remain with all those affected by COVID-19 in the country.” 

Ángel Añaños, President of the Board of AJE said: “We are delighted to team up with Heineken in the beer market in Peru. We believe AJE’s local knowledge and strong access to the market in combination with Heineken’s leading brand portfolio and commercial capabilities will benefit customers and consumers in the country. Our partnership will bring more choices into the Peruvian beer market.”