After 52 years, Frédéric van der Kelen hands over the reins of Haacht Brewery

Today, the CEO of Haacht Brewery, Mr Frédéric van der Kelen, announced to the Board of Directors his intention to step down as CEO after 52 years at the helm. Frédéric has worked day in, day out to forge the company’s strong international reputation and its unique positioning on the Belgian market. He will now become chair of Co.Br.Ha, and his son Boudewijn van der Kelen has been appointed to succeed him as CEO of the brewery.

With a turnover of €108 million in 2019, Haacht Brewery stands out from its competitors thanks to the excellence of its products and its widespread presence in catering establishments across Belgium and France.

Frédéric van der Kelen has built an exceptional brewery, providing hundreds of employees with a stable and fascinating job in a sector that characterises our country. Today Haacht Brewery is the fourth largest brewery in Belgium. The members of the Board of Directors and the staff wish to pay tribute to the work and dedication of their CEO over the past half-century. The company will still be able to call on Frédéric van der Kelen's expertise in his new position as chair of Co.Br.Ha.

Boudewijn van der Kelen, who will take over as CEO on 2 November 2020, says: "I'm very honoured to be able to take on this new role. I will continue to run Haacht Brewery as a Belgian business that respects the traditions of the past while adapting to the challenges of the future."