Haacht Brewery Revamps the Authentic Primus Pils Brand and Introduces Two New Varieties

This is a first, as the company is creating a brand-new category of lager in our country. The brewery is thus expanding its Primus lineup with a lager for every occasion. With a large-scale campaign—“Whatever you’re up to, it starts with a Primus”—the brewery, in partnership with local restaurants and bars, is fully embracing the authentic lager brand and aims to appeal to more consumers. “Primus is back—as if it had never left. Our new type of lager, the 2.6% variant, with its full flavor and half the alcohol, is designed to attract consumers who want to be more mindful of their alcohol consumption but still enjoy a lager without compromising on taste,” the company states.

Brouwerij Haacht’s best-known brand, the Primus pilsner, is being relaunched today with a fresh new look: a sleeker design, while retaining its signature features such as the knight icon and the hops. With this move, the 127-year-old brewery aims to breathe new life into its classic brand. After all, pilsners remain very popular in our country, accounting for 68 percent of the beer consumed by Belgians.

“Primus is one of the country’s five leading lagers. We’re giving it a fresh new look, but we’re sticking to the traditional, secret recipe of our 50-year-old lager. At the same time, we’re expanding the lineup with two new products. The subtle Belgian tricolor on the labels highlights the authentic Belgian character of every Primus. The knight remains the icon of Primus, but with a contemporary twist: it’s a reference to Jan Primus, Duke of Brabant. A likable 13th-century knight who was known for celebrating his victories with his subjects. Beer flowed freely on these occasions as a symbol of camaraderie and connection. These are precisely the values that Primus wants to be known for today.” –
Severine Distave | Chief Marketing & Growth Officer, responsible for innovation at Haacht Brewery

Primus for Every Moment with a Broader Selection

Haacht Brewery isn’t just revamping the look of its classic Primus. The brewery is also introducing two new varieties. The pilsner brewer is launching an entirely new category of pilsner in our country: Primus 2.6%. With this beer, Haacht Brewery is tapping into the segment of consumers who consciously want to drink less alcohol but still prefer the taste of a classic pilsner. After all, not everyone is open to non-alcoholic options, but the demand for variety and moderation is ubiquitous. In addition, the brewery is introducing an alcohol-free Primus, which follows the same philosophy.

“The authentic Primus remains our flagship product, but with the 2.6% Primus, we’ve created a full-flavored lager with nearly half the alcohol content. Our non-alcoholic Primus expands our lineup even further, giving consumers more choices. Whether you want to drink alcohol-free, are consciously cutting back, or are simply looking for a familiar lager: from now on, there’s a Primus for every moment. Just as with our classic Primus, we make no compromises on taste or quality with our two new varieties. The light hop aroma and beautifully balanced bitterness create a refreshing and light beer that has character without being overpowering. Primus continues to be brewed according to authentic brewing traditions. That way, we preserve the character and full-bodied flavor of the original pilsner.” – Paul Bossuyt | Master Brewer and Chief Operating Officer at Haacht Brewery

We’re writing the Primus success story together with our partners
. Haacht Brewery is launching the revamped Primus and its brand-new varieties first in the local hospitality industry. And that’s no coincidence. The family-owned brewery, which has strong ties to the hospitality industry, sees this as an additional opportunity to support and strengthen local hospitality businesses.

“We’re kicking off our launch campaign together with our hospitality partners: beer retailers and hospitality business owners. Pilsner and local hospitality venues remain a strong combination, and we want to continue supporting that. This is also in line with our brewery’s DNA. In the next phase, we’ll also explore other channels, such as retail. Together with our various partners, we’re writing the success story of our pilsners. But we’re kicking off the launch campaign in 2025 at our flagship Primus venues—our showpieces, so to speak. Other hospitality venues will follow starting in 2026. The guiding principle of our Primus campaign is: “It Starts with a Primus.” In hospitality venues, we translate that to “The first one’s on us.” The venue treats guests to the first round of the evening.” – Bart Van Gelder | Chief Commercial Officer at Haacht Brewery

Want to learn more about Primus? → primus.be

About Haacht Brewery

Haacht Brewery is an independent, Belgian family-owned brewery that employs approximately 380 people. Its main activity is providing a full range of services to more than 6,000 hospitality establishments, serving both the domestic and export markets. In addition, Haacht Brewery distributes its beverages through partnerships in the retail market. The best-known beer brands in its portfolio are Primus, SUPER 8, Tongerlo, Ommegang, Charles Quint, and Mystic.

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Contact

Philippe Michiels | Communications Manager, Haacht Brewery
+32 498 49 51 38
press@haacht.com