Heineken commissioned a study for the revitalization of the brewery in Znojmo

Znojmo - The Heineken group is considering selling the brewery site in Znojmo after it stops brewing Hostan beer there. This is one of the options, said Heineken's spokesperson in the Czech Republic, Kateřina Eliášová, to ČTK. The future of the site will be indicated by an architectural study commissioned by Heineken and the city of Znojmo. The study should, among other things, determine how much the revitalization of the site in the protected urban conservation area would cost and also assess what it could be used for in the future.
    The company decided to close the brewery in Znojmo and also in Kutná Hora after conducting an analysis that assessed, among other factors, the current capacity and the possibilities for its expansion or future investment needs.
    Znojmo does not own the site, but according to Znojmo spokesperson Denisa Šipošová, it is concerned about what will happen to it next. The study will also determine which parts of the site are of historical value and need to be preserved. "It could be completed within a few months, most likely by autumn," she noted.
    The current brewery was built by the city in the early 18th century next to the castle, and production began in 1720. It has been part of the Heineken group since 2003. Speculation about the scaling down or closure of production in Znojmo has been ongoing for some time. Heineken relocated the production of bottled Hostan beer to Starobrno four years ago. Now the production of draft beer will also be moved there.
    Heineken is the third largest beer producer in the world. In the Czech Republic, it owns the Starobrno brewery and the Royal Brewery Krušovice. Last year, it agreed to purchase the Ústí-based company Drinks Union, which includes the breweries Krásné and Velké Březno, Louny, and Kutná Hora. The company employs 1,155 people in the Czech Republic, with a market share of around 12 percent.
    Due to the closure of both breweries, about 35 employees are at risk of losing their jobs, 17 in Kutná Hora and 18 in Znojmo. The company will pay full compensation to all laid-off employees and will also offer them counseling and assistance in finding new jobs. The beer brands Dačický from Kutná Hora and Hostan from Znojmo will continue to be produced according to the same recipes.