How would you describe the current trends and opportunities within Suriname's beverage industry?
"In the beverage industry, there are three main categories: soft drinks, beer, and spirits. "In the beer category, we are by far the biggest player, with between 90–95% market share, so we basically drive the category. Our Parbo brand is our local hero, a pride brand with a lot of heritage, and it’s still growing. We’re also innovating new products that appeal more to younger generations, always above legal drinking age, of course, who are looking for options to support moderate consumption.
Another trend is premiumization. We have been proudly producing Heineken® beer locally since 2022. With more disposable income in the country, we’re seeing growing demand for premium drinks like Heineken®, which is our premium beer, and in the spirits category. Although there’s still a lot of consumption of cheaper spirits, the premium segment is clearly growing.
Tourism is another factor we’re closely monitoring. As tourism increases, we expect the hospitality sector, currently a small portion of our sales, to grow. Most beverages are still bought in retail supermarkets, but with new hotels and visitors, we expect to sell more, especially premium products.
We also anticipate growth in the non-alcoholic beer segment, especially with the rise of offshore oil platforms, where alcohol consumption is prohibited. We expect more demand for non-alcoholic options in that space.
Lastly, with increased internationalization of the country, demand for international brands is rising. People still love Parbo, but more and more we see growth for brands like Heineken®.
Can you share a bit about your heritage in brewing, and some milestones in the company’s history?
We are celebrating our 70th anniversary, which means we predate the country's independence by 20 years. Originally, we were a local independent brewery. In the 1960s, Amstel purchased the business, and later Heineken® acquired Amstel, gaining control of the brewery. Today, Heineken® is the majority shareholder, with the rest owned by Surinamese individuals and companies.
A recent milestone is that, two years ago, we started producing Heineken® locally. That was a big challenge due to the strict quality controls, but the team did a fantastic job. Producing locally reduced costs and boosted volume and revenue, which also increased tax income for the country.
In 2021 we acquired the distribution rights for the Diageo portfolio, spirits like Johnnie Walker and Guinness beer, which we now distribute in Suriname.
Any upcoming projects you'd like to highlight?
Our 70th anniversary will be the major theme of the year. We’re celebrating it with our customers and consumers, it’s a celebration for the people of Suriname.
We’re also very active on the sustainability front. That’s a major priority globally and for Heineken®, and we take it seriously here too. We focus on environmental impact—reducing our CO₂ footprint and minimizing waste. With our experience with a deposit return system for bottles and crates now for more than 69 years we are leading sustainability as we believe this is one of our biggest sustainable decision since 1955. We were the first to structurally export glass waste for repurposing and installed glass waste collection containers in Paramaribo in 2021 to support and raise awareness on post-consumer glass waste collection.
On social sustainability, we focus on gender equality, equal pay, and inclusivity. Suriname is a very diverse country, and we embrace that fully.
We’re also big on responsible consumption. We are one of the 3 founding members of the STIVASUR foundation for responsible drinking, which promotes responsible alcohol consumption. We've just handed over the chairmanship after four years and continue to run media campaigns around responsible drinking.
Another big milestone is our use of 100% sustainable electricity via IREC certification. Electricity accounts for 43% of our total energy consumption, and now it’s fully renewable. We hope to set an example for other companies in the country.
Finally, we support various community initiatives, our development on sustainability initiatives can be found in our annual sustainability reports on our company website. We feel a deep responsibility to leave the country better than we found it.
What are some of the main challenges you face in beverage production and distribution in Suriname, and how are you addressing them?
The biggest challenge is logistics, specifically getting raw and packaging materials into the country on time. There's no local production of packaging materials, so everything, glass, cans, must be imported from Europe or the U.S. That leads to long lead times, and delays are costly.
Another issue is the availability of skilled people. Many locals move to the Netherlands for different opportunities, so competition for talent here is fierce. We invest heavily in developing and retaining our people to stay competitive in what you might call a war for talent.
In terms of innovation, how are you innovating in brewing, product development, and customer engagement?
Sustainability is a major area of innovation. To name a few; every year we target improvements like reducing water usage per liter of beer produced and our Carbon emission. We invest in tech and process innovations to optimize energy and resource efficiency. Our process water is treated before returning to the system, and we continuously look for ways to do more with less.
We are also constantly exploring new product innovations, especially those that appeal to younger, health-conscious consumers, and finding new ways to engage customers both in retail and hospitality. Innovation is part of everything we do.
A final message to Newsweek readers considering Suriname as a destination for tourism or investment, what would you tell them?
We've been here for 70 years, through ups and downs, and our continued presence reflects our long-term commitment to Suriname. The country has a positive outlook, and I encourage people to visit, see the diversity, feel the energy, experience the delicious food and witness the ongoing improvements.
Tourism remains largely untapped. The inland offers incredible Amazonian nature, rivers, mountains, pristine jungle; ideal for eco-tourism. While we don’t have beaches, there's real potential in partnering with Caribbean islands like Aruba or Curaçao for combination trips: adventure in Suriname, then relaxation on the beach.
There are already discussions around this, and better air connectivity would accelerate it. I see Suriname as a hidden gem with great promise for both tourism and investment.
