Brasil Kirin was a Brazilian brewery and beverage company, the second largest in the country after AmBev. In 2011, Brasil Kirin was purchased by the Kirin Company – headquartered in Japan and one of the largest transnational beer giants in the world.
In 2017, Heineken completed its take-over of Brasil Kirin, from Kirin Holdings, in a move to capture the Brazilian beer market. Brazil has the third largest beer market by volume in the world, after China and the United States.
Both Heineken and Kirin Holdings are mired in scandals of Human Rights abuses and complicity in genocide.
Since Heineken’s take-over a struggle arose for market share and dominance between Heineken and Coca-Cola. Heineken wanted to sell its new and existing brands via its own distribution system. Coca-Cola was of the opinion that this move would break the existing distribution contract Brasil Kirin had with Coca-Cola.
It appears the corporate giants have made up again. Recently, Heineken reached a deal with Coca-Cola Company and the Coca-Cola System in Brazil to redesign the distribution partnership. The new partnership is expected to materialize by mid-2021 and to last till at least 2026.