Maltsters
visit brewers
PORTUGAL'S EC MEMBERSHIP
BRINGS INCREASED SALES
Golden-yellow with a white collar:
THE ALFRED HEINEKEN TULIP
In the financial year 1986, the Heineken concern's net
profit amounted to Dfls. 285.3 million compared with
N.fl. 265.4 million in the previous year, being an increase
in net profit of 7.5%
The consolidated net turnover increased by 4.4% to
N.fl. 6,684 million (1985 N.fl. 6,402 million). A
significant share of this increase resulted from changes in
the extent of the consolidation, which included fully our
Spanish subsidiary El Aguila S.A., which had already
been consolidated proportionally last year.The rise in the
value of the guilder as compared with many foreign
currencies negatively affected the translation into
guilders of the turnover and profits of foreign Group
companies.
Since Portugal joined the European Community on 1st
January 1986 there have been quite a few changes for
Heineken in that country. Previously, Heineken (just like
other imported beers) played quite an insignificant role
in Portugal. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, an
import duty of as much as 120% was imposed, which
made Heineken beer far too expensive compared to the
local brands. Secondly, the importers of Heineken beer
had to apply for a separate licence for each full container
they ordered. And there was always a risk that this
licence would not be granted.
When tourists hear the word Holland, they think not only
of Heineken but also of flowers. Particularly popular
throughout the world are Dutch tulips (even though the
tulip originates in Asia). As Holland's big exports of cut
flowers show, Dutch flowers are in great demand, above
all by Americans.
Profit figures
Distributor Refrigor has resprayed four
of its vans to deliver Heineken beer in
Lisbon, Portugal's capital city. There are
also plans to use similar vans in the near
future to serve the other two big
distribution areas (the Algarve and the
city of Oporto)
quantity is still growing. Not only
because the Portuguese are showing a
greater interest in beer, but also
because tourism (particularly in the
Algarve region on the southern coast)
is still on the increase. More foreign
visitors (who are familiar with
Heineken beer from their home
countries) automatically mean that
more glasses of Heineken find their
way across bar counters. Reason
enough for Heineken to face the
future with confidence in the
Portuguese market.
owever, now that the
Portuguese national flag
flies proudly alongside the
European Parliament building in
Brussels, the Portuguese market has
become a more attractive proposition
for Heineken. Import duties and
other special taxes on imported beers
have been reduced to what are normal
proportions by European standards
(25%), and this has automatically
made Heineken beer a lot cheaper.
The system of beer import licences has
been abolished.
All 52 employees of the Albert Malting Plant in Ruisbroek and Wijnegem
(Belgium) paid a one-day visit to the Heineken brewery in
's-Hertogenbosch (Holland) last month.The Belgian personnel were able to see
for themselves how "their" malt is used in the brewing process.The visitors were
first shown an introductory film about Heineken.Then they were given a guided
tour of the brewery.
Every day, Albert Makings produces some 3,000 tonnes of malt, mainly for our
breweries in Europe and Africa.
"We were asked by our personnel whether they could take a look at the brewing
process at HeinekenI think it's a good idea, as it gives us maltsters an additional
bond with the brewery, and that's very important", says Mr. R. Welmers, general
director of the Albert Malting Plant.
To respond effectively to the new
situation, Heineken looked for a good
distributor who could supply the
whole of Portugal with Heineken
beer. As its distributor Heineken
chose the soft drinks manufacturer,
Refrigor Lda, in Lisbon. Refrigor not
only produces its own soft drinks, but
is also the licensee for the bottling of
Seven Up. Distribution was started a
year ago and since then Heineken
sales have been climbing sharply. To
stimulate these sales further,
commercials were launched on
Portuguese television this year.
In Portugal beer output last year was
some 3.7 million hectolitres and this
One of the first Alfred Heineken tidips.
Next month the first fifty will probably be
in full bloom on the Heineken brewery
site in Zoeterwoude.
Flowers are also a top tourist
attraction in Holland. Each
year tourists form long queues
at the entrance to the "Keukenhof", a
park filled with superb flower displays
that is only open several weeks a year.
A sight-seeing trip of the bulbfields is
also a firm favourite in many a tourist's
programme.
Dutch growers of all these splendid
flowers are always busy cultivating
new varieties with ever-different,
novel colour shades. Grower B. Reus
has developed a very special
combination of colours. The bloom is
a golden-yellow colour with a white
collar at the top.The tulip looks just
like .That's right, a glass of beer.
Mr. Reus came along to Heineken
with his creation and suggested that
the flower be named the "Alfred
HeinekenTulip". His initiative met
with enthusiasm andif the weather is
kind to us, the first fifty tulips at the
Heineken brewery in Zoeterwoude
will be out next month and the first
HeinekenTulip will be officially
christened by Mr. Heineken in
person. At the moment about 800
bulbs of the HeinekenTulip have been
produced.The intention is to increase
this number to more than fifty
thousand by 1993.
