THE ABBEY OF AVERBODE AND BREWERY HUYGHE SIGN A NEW LONG-TERM CONTRACT UNTIL 2035

Averbode / Melle, 3 December 2019 - In 'Het Moment' - the experience center of the Abbey - Averbode abbot Marc Fierens and CEO Alain De Laet of the Huyghe brewery today signed a new contract until 2035. For the Abbey it is a guarantee that the brewery can also invest in the long term; for the brewery, on the other hand, it offers opportunities to further grow the Averbode brand abroad.

In April 2014, the Abbey launched the Averbode basket with bread, cheese and beer. Gingerbread was added later. For the production of the abbey beer, the Abbey chose Huyghe Brewery at the time because of the family character of the brewery, where tradition and authenticity are paramount. And the sustainable profile of the brewery also appealed to the norbertine community.

5 years later, both partners look back on the collaboration with satisfaction. Alain De Laet, CEO of the brewery, explains: “Although Averbode beer in Belgium is only available at Delhaize supermarkets and at wholesalers, the beer already counts a lot of fans. Year after year, sales figures continue to rise. And also abroad the beer has become very popular: Averbode is now already available in 15 countries. Thanks to the signing of this new long-term contract, we can now promote the brand more intensively abroad, so that Averbode can grow even further."

For Marc Fierens, Abbot of the Abbey, a renewal of the contract was logical: “We have worked very closely with the brewery in the past 5 years to turn Averbode beer into a beautiful story. The brewery also helped with the installation of a local home brewery, allowing visitors to enjoy locally brewed beer on site. The brewery also donates an annual amount for the restoration of heritage in our Abbey."

The Moment
The Abbey not only launched the Averbode products basket, but also created an experience center - Het Moment - on its domain, where crafts are re-practiced. Old service buildings were given a new purpose and since May 2016, Het Moment is housing an abbey bar with home brewery, a cheese ripening venue, a bakery and an abbey shop.

Not surprising Abbot Marc Fierens and Huyghe CEO Alain De Laet signed the new contract in Het Moment. After all, you can taste the Averbode beer brewed by Huyghe here, as well as the various local "breweries" from the home brewery. And that those locally brewed beers are appreciated, becomes clear based on the sales figures provided by Jan Van Roie, director of Het Moment-operator and social economy company Sense: “Nearly 80% of our visitors choose one of our five locally brewed beers. And especially the "4.85" is ordered in more than half of the cases. In 2018 we brewed a total of 220 HL of local beer and up until now in 2019 we are already at 170 HL. We can therefore safely say that Averbode and the local variants appeal to a wide audience. Visitors can also come here for a guided visit to the abbey, a snack - we regularly renew our menu - or bread baking workshops. ”

Those who have never visited the unique setting of Het Moment or have never tasted an Averbode abbey beer should block their agenda on Saturday 7/12. To celebrate the new contract with the Averbode fans, the Huyghe brewery will be giving the first 200 visitors who order an Averbode in Het Moment as of 12h on Saturday 7/12, a free 75 cl bottle of Averbode. This promotion will also be announced on the social media channels of Averbode.