8
in
the Caribbean
Heineken Regatta
one of the biggest
Heineken lager now also on sale in supermarkets
Heineken has been present for some twenty years in one
of the world's leading beer-drinking nations: Belgium.
During those years Heineken has concentrated on expan
ding its sales in hotels, restaurants and bars, so that
draught Heineken lager is now dispensed in 650 establish
ments.
Beer culture
Heineken Belgium active
on several fronts
With effect from this month
Heineken can also be
bought in Belgian
supermarkets. A contract for the sale
of Heineken lager has been concluded
with Colruyt, the country's second
biggest supermarket chain with 107
branches, and more sales outlets are
expected to follow in the near future.
In the Colruyt supermarkets
Heineken lager is sold in a pack
containing three bottles of 33 cl .There
will be no big publicity to promote
Heineken in the supermarkets. No
major advertising campaign is
planned. The emphasis will be on
promotion within the Colruyt stores
themselves.
The introduction of Heineken lager in
supermarkets is part of a broader
range of activities. Apart from this
introduction, Heineken Belgium is
also actively engaged in recruiting
reliable, strong importers.They will
place orders with Heineken Belgium.
"We will then pass on the orders to the
Heineken brewery in
's-Hertogenbosch. Since 1st January
this year the importers have been
receiving their invoices from us.
Before that they were invoiced from
Holland. Now that we do our own
invoicing we have a much better grip
on the administrative and commercial
side of the operation", says Mr. P.
Boets, who heads the staff of fourteen
at Heineken's Belgian office.
A third activity is the careful selection
of catering establishments. "We don't
want just any old bar to sell Heineken
lager. We look for good establishments
with a certain degree of class. Places
that fit in with the image of the
Heineken brand."
Beer is almost an expression of culture
in Belgium.This was even more the
case around the turn of the century.
Belgium then had some 200,000 bars
and as many as 3,000 breweries.
Though that number may have been
reduced since, it is still of quite a
respectable size today. With a
population of almost ten million
people, Belgium has 50,000 bars and
cafés and there are still some 110
breweries active in that country. Each
region has its own beer brand which
enjoys great regional popularity.
Heineken's aim, specifically through
its introduction in supermarkets, will
also be to attract the consumer of
premium beers in the take-home
market.
The new supermarket pack of Heineken
lager in Belgium.
A major yacht race is held each year
around the Caribbean island of St.
Maarten: the St. Maarten Heineken
Regatta. This yachting festival has
been sponsored by Heineken for the
past four years and the growth in the
number of entrants has made it one of
the leading regattas in the region.
Some time ago the seventh Heineken
Regatta was held and for the first time
contestants from the Dutch side of the
island also entered.The organisers
were pleased with this, as the previous
races had only attracted foreign
yachtsmen and entrants from the
French part of the island. The
Heineken name has become
associated more and more with the
regatta in recent years and this has
further strengthened the position of
Heineken beer on St. Maarten.
The overall winner of the seventh Heineken Regatta: the Alma Gloria, from the The starter's boat clearly shows that Heineken sponsors the regatta.
French part of St. Maarten.
mjsuroma
heineken bboweruen