Why real estate specialists are bidding for a Belgian brewery, and what that tells you about European beer M&A in 2026

On 16 July 2026, Belgian financial publications De Tijd and L’Echo confirmed that more than five parties have advanced to a second round in the sale process for Haacht Brewery. Among the bidders are Heineken and Duvel Moortgat. Also among the bidders are investment funds and consortia combining beer companies with real estate specialists. That last detail – real estate specialists bidding for a brewery – is the signal in this story worth paying attention to.

Haacht was founded in 1893. It generates €109.1 million in annual revenue, €10.2 million in adjusted EBITDA, and is publicly listed on Euronext Brussels. Its brands – Primus, Super 8, Tongerlo, Flandrien – are established but not internationally prominent. What Haacht also owns is a portfolio of hospitality real estate across Belgium, the Netherlands, and France: tied pubs, managed venues, on-trade accounts built over more than a century of operating in one of Europe’s most developed beer markets.