Heineken Joint Venture Acquires Wuerzburger Hofbraeu in Germany.

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- Heineken N.V. announced today that Kulmbacher Brauerei AG, a subsidiary of Brau Holding International AG (the joint-venture between Heineken (49.9%) and Schoerghuber Corporate Group (50.1%), has made a binding offer to acquire 90.7 % of the shares of Wuerzburger Hofbraeu AG.

The acquisition price is EUR 34 million. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

Jean Francois van Boxmeer, member of the Executive Board of Heineken N.V. commented: "With this acquisition we further expand our presence in one of the world's biggest beer markets, by forming a strong chain of leading regional breweries in Southern Germany, offering regional premium beer brands."

The Wuerzburger Hofbraeu, founded in 1643, is located in the northern Bavarian region of Franconia, Germany. The company owns two breweries, in Wuerzburg and in Poppenhausen, and is the main brewer in the region with a sales volume of 360,000 hectolitres.

The brand portfolio includes the company's leading brand Wuerzburger Hofbraeu and the brands Werner Braeu, Lohrer Bier and Waechtersbacher.

Editorial information:

Heineken N.V. is the most international brewer in the world. The Heineken brand is sold in more than 170 countries and the company owns over 115 breweries in more than 65 countries. With a total volume of 109 million hectolitres Heineken ranks second in the world beer market in profitability. Heineken strives for an excellent sustainable financial performance through marketing a portfolio of strong local and international brands with the emphasis on the Heineken brand, through a carefully selected combination of broad and segment leadership positions and through a continuous focus on cost control. In 2003 net turnover amounted to EUR 9.3 billion and net profit to EUR 798 million. Heineken employs over 60,000 people.

For further information regarding Heineken N.V.: www.heinekeninternational.com

For 50 years, the Schoerghuber Corporate Group has been involved in the business divisions hotel, aircraft leasing, beverages, real estate and construction with great success. Numerous companies with approximately 5000 employees are part of this corporate group, whose field of activities has been expanding onto international terrain since the 1980's. The Brau Holding International AG is the main holding for the beverage business division and is one of Germany's leading beverage enterprises. Its holdings include Munich's traditional brewery group, "Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe", the Kulmbacher Group and Karlsberg. In the beer sector alone, the company is represented by such well-known brands as Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Thurn und Taxis, Auerbraeu, Kulmbacher, EKU, Moenchshof, Kapuziner, Sternquell,Braustolz, Fuerstenberg, Hoepfner, Karlsberg and Koenigsbacher.

For further information visit www.schoerghuber-unternehmensgruppe.de