Heineken: Primarily Interested In Emerging Markets Expansion

Heineken NV (HEIA.AE) is primarily interested in expansion in emerging markets given its current exposure to mature markets, spokesman John Paul Schuirink told Dow Jones Newswires Tuesday, following SABMiller PLC's (SBMRY) 9.51 billion Australian dollar (US$9.98 billion) bid for Foster's Group Ltd. (FGL.AU).

"We aim to balance our exposure between emerging and mature markets and if we were to do a large acquisition in a mature market, this would again increase our exposure to mature markets which we aimed to reduce in past years," Schuirink said.

Heineken currently generates 57% of its operational profit from emerging markets and 43% from mature markets compared to 63% from mature markets five years ago. Brewers have been struggling to achieve growth in mature markets where beer consumption has dropped as consumers have tightened their belts in the face of the economic downturn and government austerity measures.

Schuirink said that given emerging markets account for more than 80% of SABMiller's profit, Foster's is a more interesting target for SABMiller than for Heineken.

SABMiller has said it will continue to pursue a takeover of Foster's even though the Australian beer marker rejected its offer saying it "significantly undervalues the company."

-By Anna Marij van der Meulen; Dow Jones Newswires; [phone]; [e-mail]