Who owns Affligem?
Affligem is made and sold by Heineken (the Netherlands, AEX: HEIA) under licence; Heineken does not own the name.[1] The Affligem name is owned by Abdij Affligem.
Evidence: Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2025, 11 February 2026 (archived copy). Last checked .
Key facts
- Licensed to
- Heineken N.V. reported
- Headquarters
- 🇳🇱 Netherlands, Amsterdam
- Origin
- 🇧🇪 Belgium
- Category
- Beverages › Beer › Ale
- Parent ticker
- AEX: HEIA
- Last verified
- · 3 sources
About Affligem
Affligem is a Belgian abbey beer named after Affligem Abbey, founded in 1074 by six knights who became monks. After the abbey's own brewery was destroyed in the Second World War, the monks began working with the nearby Opwijk brewery, where the beer is still made. Heineken, which the brand says it has been part of since 2013, makes it under licence: the Affligem beer trademarks in the European Union and the Benelux are registered to the abbey.
Ownership timeline of Affligem
Where Affligem sits in Heineken
Controlling ownership as of . Brands grouped under the entity that owns them; large groups are collapsed.
- BRANA (95%) · 5 brands
- Nigerian Breweries (72.9%) · 14 brands
Open the full Heineken ownership tree →
See the full Heineken brand portfolio (29) →
Other brands owned by Heineken
Heineken controls 30 brands on Brandtree, 30 of them in beverages.
Also in beverages
- 33 Export
- Amstel (1870)
- Birra Moretti (1859)
- Climax (2010)
- Cruzcampo (1904)
- Desperados (1995)
- Dos Equis (1897)
- Goldberg (2009)
- Gulder (1970)
- Heineken (1873)
- Hi-Malt (1991)
- Kinanm (2014)
- La Benedicta
- Lagunitas (1993)
- Legend Extra Stout (1992)
- Life Continental Lager (1983)
- Malta Gold
- Malta H (1976)
Other brands in ale, and who owns them
The 62 brands in ale on Brandtree belong to 32 owners. The largest is Duvel Moortgat, with 7; Heineken has 4.
| Brand | Owner | Owner based in |
|---|---|---|
| Birrificio del Ducato | Duvel Moortgat | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Bishops Finger | Shepherd Neame | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Farsons Blue Label | Farsons | 🇲🇹 Malta |
| Franziskaner | AB InBev | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| Avery Brewing Company | Mahou San Miguel | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| Fuller's London Pride | Asahi Group | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| Dogfish Head | Boston Beer | 🇺🇸 United States |
| Belikin Stout | Bowen & Bowen | 🇧🇿 Belize |
About the owner: Heineken
Heineken is a publicly listed company headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 1864.
Heineken was founded in Amsterdam in 1864 when Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought the Haystack brewery. It is the second-largest brewer in the world and remains family-influenced through Heineken Holding N.V.
🇧🇪 Affligem and other Belgian brands
Brandtree records a controlling owner for 53 brands that began in Belgium. 19 of them (36%) are now controlled by a company headquartered in another country, Affligem among them.
- Bel Pils — Duvel Moortgat 🇧🇪
- Bru — Spadel 🇧🇪
- Domaine Lez-Envies — Colruyt Group 🇧🇪
- Grimbergen — Carlsberg 🇩🇰
- Hoegaarden — AB InBev 🇧🇪
- Alpro — Danone 🇫🇷
Frequently asked questions
Who makes Affligem?
Heineken makes and sells Affligem under a licensing agreement.
Does Heineken own Affligem?
No. Heineken holds a licence to make and sell Affligem, which is not the same as owning it.
Where did Affligem come from?
Affligem originated in Belgium.
Sources (3) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.
- [1] Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2025 — Heineken N.V., Annual report, published 11 February 2026; retrieved 16 September 2026. The original address no longer opens it, so the link goes to an archived copy (original address).
- [2] EUIPO register: EU trade mark 006762637 AFFLIGEM — European Union Intellectual Property Office, Official document; retrieved 16 September 2026.
- [3] Affligem: De abdij — Affligem, Official document; retrieved 16 September 2026.
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