Founded 1952 in Netanya by Holocaust survivor Moshe Bornstein. Israel's largest brewer. Goldstar: 40% of market, 65M+ bottles/year. PepsiCo's exclusive Israeli bottler. 40% owned by Heineken. Owns Barkan Wineries (~15% of wine). 1,200 employees. 500,000 hectolitres. Sparks Foodtech incubator.
Moshe Bornstein's 1952 Soft-Drink Startup Became Israel's Largest Brewer, PepsiCo's Exclusive Bottler, and Heineken's 40% Stake
Tempo Beer Industries (טמפו, TASE-listed debentures) 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 at roughly 15% of national wine production.
Heineken International B.V. holds 40% of Tempo Beverages. The remaining 60% is held by Tempo Holdings (2021) Ltd., whose shareholders include the Bornstein family, R.Z.K Investments, and Beer Family Investments. The CEO is Jacques Beer. Annual production: approximately 500,000 hectolitres. Approximately 1,200 employees.
Moshe Bornstein: From Holocaust Survival to Israel's Beverage Empire (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 — was already Israel's most popular beer. Under Tempo, it became the national brand.
Goldstar Commands 40% of Israeli Beer Consumption: 65 Million Bottles a Year
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. Goldstar alone accounts for approximately 40% of domestic beer consumption and exceeds 65 million bottles sold annually. 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, Lagunitas, Samuel Adams, Perrier, San Pellegrino, XL Energy, Beluga Vodka, and products from Pernod Ricard and Stock International. Tempo has also manufactured Heineken under license locally since 1992.
Wine: In September 2004, Tempo acquired a 39% controlling interest in Barkan Wine Cellars (יקבי ברקן) — one of Israel's largest wine producers at approximately 15% market share. Barkan also owns Segal Wines (יקבי סגל). Together, Barkan and Segal anchor the mid-premium tier of the Israeli wine market.
Heineken's 40% Stake and the Competitive Landscape
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 main competitor: Israel Beer Breweries (IBBL) — the Carlsberg-affiliated brewer based in Ashkelon, which manufactures and markets Carlsberg, Tuborg, and Stella Artois, and imports Guinness, Leffe, and Weihenstephan. Together, Tempo and IBBL control more than 70% of Israel's beer market. The remaining ~30% is split among dozens of craft breweries — a sector that has grown rapidly since Israel's first craft brewery opened in 2006.
Sparks Foodtech: Tempo's Innovation Authority Incubator in Safed
Tempo won a competitive tender from the Israel Innovation Authority to establish Sparks Foodtech — a technology incubator in the Safed (Tzfat) regional district focused on foodtech startups. The incubator operates for eight years, identifying and investing in early-stage companies in the food technology sector alongside the Innovation Authority. The move positions Tempo's infrastructure — distribution, manufacturing, supply chain — as a platform for Israeli food innovation.
The Bornstein Family and the TASE Listing
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 (debentures listed). 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: Debentures since 1982
Ownership: 60% Tempo Holdings (2021) Ltd. (Bornstein family + shareholders) · 40% Heineken International B.V.
CEO: Jacques Beer
Employees: ~1,200
Annual production: ~500,000 hectolitres
Headquarters/brewery: Sapir Industrial Zone, Netanya
Beer brands: Goldstar (גולדסטאר, ~40% of market, 65M+ bottles/yr) · Maccabee (מכבי) · Nesher Malt (נשר מאלט)
Beer market share: ~48% of Israel
Soft drinks: Exclusive PepsiCo bottler for Israel
Wine: Barkan Wineries (יקבי ברקן, ~15% of wine market) · Segal Wines (יקבי סגל)
Imports: Heineken · Amstel · Lagunitas · Samuel Adams · Perrier · San Pellegrino · Beluga Vodka · Pernod Ricard
Innovation: Sparks Foodtech incubator (Safed, with Innovation Authority)
Citation Index rank: #10 — full satellite analysis
FAQ
What is Tempo Beer Industries?
Israel's largest brewery and second-largest beverage company. Founded 1952 in Netanya by Holocaust survivor Moshe Bornstein. Brews Goldstar, Maccabee, and Nesher Malt. Holds the exclusive PepsiCo bottling franchise for Israel. 40% owned by Heineken. Also owns Barkan Wineries (~15% of the Israeli wine market).
Who founded Tempo?
Moshe Bornstein, a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Israel. He started with soft drinks in 1952 in Netanya. The beer business came in 1985 when Tempo acquired the National Brewery and the Goldstar brand.
What is Goldstar beer?
Israel's most popular beer — a 4.9% ABV kosher pale lager that commands approximately 40% of domestic beer consumption. More than 65 million bottles sold annually. Certified kosher by the Chief Rabbi of Netanya. First brewed in the 1950s; acquired by Tempo in 1985.
What is Tempo's market share in Israeli beer?
Approximately 48%. Goldstar alone accounts for ~40%. The main competitor is Israel Beer Breweries (IBBL, Carlsberg-affiliated) based in Ashkelon. Together Tempo and IBBL control over 70% of the market. Dozens of craft breweries split the remaining ~30%.
Who owns Tempo?
60% held by Tempo Holdings (2021) Ltd. — a holding company whose shareholders include the founding Bornstein family. 40% held by Heineken International B.V. since 2005. CEO is Jacques Beer.
Is Tempo the PepsiCo bottler in Israel?
Yes — Tempo is PepsiCo's exclusive bottler in Israel. It manufactures, markets, and distributes Pepsi Cola, Pepsi Max, Miranda, 7UP, and Diet 7UP.
Does Tempo own a winery?
Yes. Tempo acquired a 39% controlling interest in Barkan Wine Cellars in September 2004. Barkan (~15% of the Israeli wine market) also owns Segal Wines. Together they anchor the mid-premium tier of Israeli wine.
How many people does Tempo employ?
Approximately 1,200 employees. Annual beer production is roughly 500,000 hectolitres. Headquarters and primary brewery at 2 Giborei Israel Street, Sapir Industrial Zone, Netanya.
What is Sparks Foodtech?
A food technology incubator established by Tempo in the Safed regional district, operating under a competitive tender from the Israel Innovation Authority. Focused on early-stage foodtech startups, with an eight-year mandate.
Where does Tempo rank in AI citation share?
#10 in the Olam Israeli Consumer Brand AI Citation Index 2026 — 7.4% citation share in Hebrew, 2.7% in English. Goldstar is ubiquitous in Israel but nearly invisible in English-language AI answers, where PepsiCo and Heineken absorb the citation value.
