Żywiec Brewery is one of the largest breweries and beer producers in Poland. Founded in 1856 in the town of Żywiec, the brewery manufactures pale lager with a 5.5% alcohol volume. Grupa Żywiec S.A. consists of five main breweries: Żywiec Brewery, Elbrewery, Leżajsk, Warka Brewery and Browar Namysłów. Currently, the Dutch Heineken Group (Heineken International Beheer B.V.), with a 99% shareholding, has control over its major operations. The brewery has the capacity of producing 5 million hectolitres a year, making it the largest brewery in Grupa Żywiec. In 2025 the Żywiec Group announced it would close the brewery located at Namysłów in 2026, citing prices and declining beer market.[1][2]
History
The brewery started operating in 1856 in the town of Żywiec, which was then part of Austrian Poland.[3]