Macedonian businessman Svetozar Janevski to reinitiate production in BIP – Construction of new brewery worth EUR 25 million planned

Macedonian businessman Svetozar Janevski said on April 28 that he had leased Beogradska Industrija Piva (BIP) in bankruptcy, but also that he planned to build a new brewery in a different location and invest EUR 25 million in it.

Janevski said for Beta that he would reinitiate the production of beer at BIP’s old facilities until the new brewery was constructed, thereby “maintaining BIP’s production and brand tradition”.

– The current system of production is outdated and almost completely ruined, as it was established back in the 1970s. We will reconstruct what is needed for the brewery to operate until the new factory is built – Janevski said.

He added that the annual lease of BIP’s facilities cost around EUR 900,000 and that the construction of the new brewery would start once an agreement was reached with the Government of Serbia on the location.

– BIP is in bankruptcy and can’t lease the factory in a long term, but the revenues from the restarted production will be welcome in the bankruptcy procedure – Janevski estimated.

The lease of BIP’s facilities will, according to him, last for two to three years, which is how much is needed for the new brewery to be raised. He said that the factory would initially employ around 100 workers by bringing back certain former employees, and that new ones would be employed in line with the development of the business.

– We’ve come here to stay for a long time – Janevski said.

In the early 1990s, Janevski brought global brands, Coca Cola and Heineken, to Macedonia, and he also opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in Skopje.

As one of the six owners of Pivara Skoplje, he created the Skopsko brand. In 2000, he founded the M-6 investment fund with his partners from the company, and three years later, he bought off the majority stock of the Tikves winery in Kavadarci.

The majority owner of BIP is the state of Serbia (51.90%), whereas the rest is owned by minority shareholders.

AD BIP BEOGRAD

M-6 TIKVEŠ DOO BEOGRAD

Vinarija Tikveš Skopje

BIP

Svetozar Janevski

brewery

beer production

lease of BIP

new brewery in Serbia

construction of brewery

Pivara Skoplje

Tikves

M 6 investment fund

Skopsko