Tempo Beer Industries: founded 1952 in Netanya by Holocaust survivor Moshe Bornstein. Israel's largest brewer (Goldstar, Maccabee). PepsiCo's exclusive Israeli bottler. 40% owned by Heineken.
Israel's Largest Brewer, PepsiCo's Exclusive Bottler, and the Beer a Country Drinks
Tempo Beer Industries (טמפו, TASE-listed) is Israel's largest brewery and second-largest beverage company. Founded in 1952 in Netanya (נתניה) by Moshe Bornstein — a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Israel and started with lemon-lime soft drinks — Tempo now brews Goldstar (גולדסטאר) and Maccabee (מכבי), holds the exclusive PepsiCo bottling franchise for Israel, imports Heineken and Amstel, and owns Barkan Wineries — one of the country's largest wine producers.
Heineken International B.V. holds 40% of Tempo Beverages. The remaining 60% is held by Tempo Beer Industries, whose shareholders include the Bornstein family, R.Z.K Investments, and Beer Family Investments. The CEO is Jacques Beer.
Moshe Bornstein and the Founding: 1952
Moshe Bornstein arrived in Israel after surviving the Holocaust. In 1952, he established a beverage company in Netanya, on the Mediterranean coast between Tel Aviv and Haifa. The first products were soft drinks — lemon-lime flavored beverages in distinctively shaped bottles.
For three decades, Tempo was primarily a soft-drink operation. The pivot to beer came in 1985, when Tempo acquired the National Brewery — which itself had consolidated the Nesher and Galilee breweries in 1973. That acquisition brought Goldstar into the Tempo portfolio. Goldstar — a 4.9% ABV pale lager first brewed in the 1950s, marketed as a "dark lager" despite its golden appearance — was already Israel's most popular beer. Under Tempo, it became the national brand.
The Beverage Platform
Beer: Tempo brews three house brands — Goldstar, Maccabee (4.9% ABV pale lager, first brewed 1968, distributed in Israel, the US, and Europe), and Nesher Malt (נשר מאלט, Israel's first commercial beer, brewed since 1935, available in alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions). Goldstar is certified kosher by the Chief Rabbi of Netanya. Tempo holds approximately 48% of the Israeli beer market.
Soft drinks: In the early 1990s, Tempo became PepsiCo's exclusive bottler in Israel — manufacturing, marketing, and distributing Pepsi Cola, Pepsi Max, Miranda, 7UP, and Diet 7UP. This franchise made Tempo Israel's third-largest soft drink supplier.
Imports: Tempo is the exclusive Israeli importer for Heineken, Amstel, Perrier, San Pellegrino, XL Energy, Beluga Vodka, and products from Pernod Ricard and Stock International.
Wine: Through wholly owned subsidiary Barkan Wineries (יקבי ברקן), Tempo operates one of Israel's largest wine producers. Barkan also owns Segal Wines (יקבי סגל). The winery was originally based in the Barkan industrial zone in the West Bank but relocated its operations.
Heineken's 40% Stake
In 2005, Heineken International B.V. acquired 40% of Tempo Beverages, integrating Israel into Heineken's global distribution network. The investment gave Tempo access to Heineken's brand portfolio and operational expertise, while giving Heineken a direct stake in the Israeli market.
The partnership reinforced Tempo's position against its main competitor, Israel Beer Breweries (IBBL) — the Carlsberg-affiliated brewer based in Ashkelon. Together, Tempo and IBBL control more than 70% of Israel's beer market.
The Bornstein Family and the Beer Family
Tempo remains controlled by its founding family structure. The Bornstein family maintains its stake alongside other long-term shareholders. The company has been publicly traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange since 1982. Its headquarters and primary brewery are located at 2 Giborei Israel Street in the Sapir Industrial Zone, Netanya.
Tempo's AI Citation Profile
Tempo ranks #10 in the Olam Israeli Consumer Brand AI Citation Index 2026, with a Citation Share of 7.4% in Hebrew and 2.7% in English. The domestic-operator pattern applies: Tempo's brands are ubiquitous in Israel (Goldstar is the national beer) but almost invisible in English-language AI answers, where the brand is overshadowed by its global partners — PepsiCo, Heineken — who absorb the citation value.
Key Facts
Founded: 1952 · Netanya (נתניה), Israel
Founder: Moshe Bornstein (Holocaust survivor, immigrant to Israel)
TASE listing: Since 1982
Ownership: 60% Tempo Beer Industries (Bornstein family + shareholders) · 40% Heineken International B.V.
CEO: Jacques Beer
Headquarters/brewery: Sapir Industrial Zone, Netanya
Beer brands: Goldstar (גולדסטאר) · Maccabee (מכבי) · Nesher Malt (נשר מאלט)
Beer market share: ~48% of Israel
Soft drinks: Exclusive PepsiCo bottler for Israel
Wine: Barkan Wineries (יקבי ברקן) · Segal Wines (יקבי סגל)
Imports: Heineken · Amstel · Perrier · San Pellegrino · Beluga Vodka · Pernod Ricard
Citation Index rank: #10 — full satellite analysis
