38. Chapter 3: The products (continued) segment. Because of the brand's strategic importance for our Company, it is also managed by our Group Commerce department. Sales of the Amstel brand account for roughly 10 per cent of our total Group volume. The remaining 70 per cent of total Group volume is achieved through a portfolio of more than 170 international, regional and local beers; including brands such as Ochota® (Russia), Cruzcampo® (Spain), Zywiec® (Poland), Birra Moretti® (Italy), Bintang® (Indonesia), Christal® (Chile), and Primus® and Star® in African countries. Our continuous focus on consumer needs drives and guides the development of new, innovative products. Consumers in some parts of the world want beers with reduced bitterness, reduced caloric value or reduced alcohol content. To meet these needs, we have developed products such as Amstel Pure Filtered® in Russia, Heineken Premium Light® in the USA or Lingens Blond® in the Netherlands. To meet the needs of consumers who prefer fuller flavoured beer (but for whatever reason do not want to drink alcohol) we market products such as Buckler® (international markets) or Bintang Zero® (Indonesia). Barley is a cereal with a high nutritional value. Many of these nutrients find their way into our beers and also into products we have developed specifically to supply a highly nutritional alcohol-free beverage to the consumer. Such products include: Amstel Malta® in Nigeria and Maltina® in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Both are low-sugar malt drinks enriched with vitamins Bl, B2, B6 and C, as well as essential minerals. Our soft-drink companies also develop products to meet specific consumer demands. For example, our Dutch soft-drink subsidiary Vrumona has been active in the development of improved-flavour, sugar-free soft drinks for many years. It has recently developed and marketed some exciting new products like Joy® - a still lemonade with no added sugar and reduced acidity to prevent dental problems for children. Quality assurance Brewing is a natural process in which the main ingredients are barley malt, water and hops. Malt is produced in maltings by steeping, germinating and drying barley. Also other grains, such as maize, rice or sorghum can be used during the brewing process. The raw materials used in our beers are required to meet high quality standards laid down in our recipes and specifications. The packaging materials in which our beers are sold are also subject to strict quality standards. Both raw materials and primary packaging must, as a minimum, comply with all statutory guidelines and a good Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points Beer 42 Orange juice 39 Soft drinks 39 Alcoholic mix drinks 65 White wine 70 Red wine 82 Whiskey 245 Milk 63 Caloric value of various beverages per 100 gramsKcal Source: Netherlands Nutrition Centre Heineken N.V. - 2004/2005 Sustainability Report

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Heineken - Milieuverslag | 2004 | | pagina 40