Weitse Mutters (38 years old) is the CEO of BRANA. Prior to his current position, Mutters was National Trade Marketing Manager at Nigerian Breweries, a Heineken subsidiary in Lagos, Nigeria. His career started already in his student days with an internship at Brasseries de Bourbon, Heineken’s subsidiary at the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.
In 2012, HEINEKEN has consolidated its majority ownership of Brasserie Nationale d’Haiti S.A, it has invested a significant resources and energy into growing Haiti’s leading beverage company, whilst at the same time strengthening the local economy. Wietse Mutters has become the CEO of the company in 2016.
Brana was founded in 1975 by Michael Madsen, a Haitian of Danish descent, and Heineken, the Dutch brewer, initially held a minority stake. The company licensed PepsiCo and 7 Up for local sales, as well as Guinness and the related product Malta H. More recently, it has launched bottled water and soft drinks brands: King Cola in a variety of flavours, and Toro, an energy drink. But it is best known for its own lager, Prestige, launched in 1976, which has proved popular across an island that traditionally has preferred rum. The product is also exported in modest volumes across the Caribbean, and to the eastern seaboard of the US, where it has a market among the diaspora. After the owner died and his heir had no direct descendants, discussions began with Heineken to acquire full control, which was finalised in the months after the earthquake. It has since invested about $100m in modernisation and expansion.
The company remains one of the symbols of Haitian pride. BRANA, part of the HEINEKEN Company, is the first and to date the only brewery in Haiti. BRANA produces and sells a wide range of beverages: beer, Malta, soft drinks, energy drinks, water, and wines and liqueurs. With its brewery and sales force BRANA employs more than 1,200 people directly and supports the lifestyle of many others indirectly through its distribution and sales network. We brew prestige beer, the only beer brewed and hailing from Haiti, and one of the most popular beers produced in the Caribbean and sold overseas. Their Mission: "Brase Lajwa Nan Lavi Chak Ayisyen”.