INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Aguila brand now market leader
Profit figures
Heineken N.V.
March 1988
Number 13
Contents:
Malayan Breweries
Kuala Lumpur
celebrates
Francisco Ger lives
in Holland for a year
A.H. Heineken to step
down as Chairman
of Managing Board
Amstel Light now
also in Holland
El Aguila personnel
proud of their
Page
brewery
Heineken Holland's
Advertising Service
A haze of mystery hangs over a mountain close to the Dreher brew
ery in Popoli. Vast quantities of crystal-clear water gush sponta
neously from clefts in the mountainside. Scientists scratch their
heads in bewilderment. The mountain must contain a gigantic
natural reservoir, but how that'lake' is kept constantly topped up
is a big puzzle for geologists.
It is assumed that a giant moun
tain some 3,000 metres high and
located about one hundred kilo
metres away has something to do
with the water source at Popoli, but
for the time being this is merely
conjecture.
The Dreher brewery at Popoli
simply thanks its lucky stars for this
natural source of water. The water
is of excellent quality and the sup
ply is always constant, so there is
never any need to use alternative
sources. Mr. Wim Reyer, who
heads the quality control depart
ment at Popoli, has this to say
about the spring: "We make grate
ful use of the water, as it not only
has an exceptional good quality
but is also very cheap. Besides, it
has a constant temperature, so
there's no need for us to keep
constantly checking it.
The only thing we had to do was
to install a couple of pumps to
transport the water to the brewery.
Which means that we don't have
The Executive Board of
Heineken N.V announced
recently that the net profit for
the financial year 1987 was
N.fl. 286.7 million. This profit
is approximately equal to that
of the previous year, N.fl.
285.3 million.
The consolidated net turn
over N.fl. 6,659 million
remained at the level of last
year, N.fl. 6,684 million, as a
result of an increase in the
turnover of most of our opera
ting companies, a decrease in
exports and the effect of the
translation into guilders of the
turnover of foreign Group-
companies.
These causes also influenced
the trading profit, which
amounted to N.fl. 511.0 mil
lion compared with N.fl. 513.2
million in the previous year.
any problems like having to pump
up our water from wells some forty
to fifty metres deep."
Some ofthe water is used for coo
ling the machines. Some of it is also
used as brew water. "All we have to
do is soften it. There's slightly too
much chalk in the water", says Mr.
Reyer.
In fact, the water supply is many
times bigger than the brewery's
requirements. The bulk of the
water flows onwards into the
Adriatic Sea. The big coastal resort
of Pescara also benefits, just like
Popoli, from the water that flows
out of this natural spring.
Our January 1987 issue of Heineken International Magazine
contained a detailed description of El Aguila's activities. Many
investments and a shift in the marketing emphasis have brought
about a 'new' El Aguila, now transformed into a modem business.
The article also described the work being done to upgrade the less
flourishing reputation ofEl Aguila's bottled beers. A progress report
- some eighteen months later.
As regards the position ofthe Agu ila brand in bottles there has in fact
been a small improvement. Aguila is meanwhile the market leader.
Because the many sub-brands of Aguila were taken off the market
and replaced by one Aguila brand of lager, sales have climbed to
such an extent that Aguila is now Spain's best-selling beer brand.
High sales volumes are being achieved for the returnable bottles,
litre bottles and cans of Aguila.
Adlerbrau
Two months before the article was published in Heineken Inter
national Magazine, El Aguila had introduced the Adlerbrau brand.
Sales of this brand are meanwhile up to expectations. Over the past
eighteen months Adlerbrau has captured a solid market share, an
achievement that is cause for satisfaction amongst the El Aguila
management. The management anticipates steady development
for the brand, with an annual increase in its market share. Adlerbrau
is still being actively promoted by TV commercials and posters and
via the sponsoring of basketball matches - a popular sport in Spain.
El Aguila continues to benefit from its Heineken beer distribution
activities which it has been handling since 1 st January 1986. Sales of
Heineken are progressing extremely well and the outlook for Hei
neken beer in Spain is just like the summer weather there: sunny.
International Heineken personeelsblad. Verschijnt zes maal per jaar. Uitgegeven door het Concernstafdienst Public Relations van Heineken N. V. Postbus 28,1000 AA Amsterdam. Telefoon 020-70.22.68.
SEARCHING
FOR THE SOURCE
The water is being transported to the brewery by a simple pumping-system.
porteerd.
"Acquedotto Heineken" says a stone which Dreher placed near the pipeline
that leads the water to the brewery.