Heineken 15.2
to additional pressure on sales during the year under review.
The falling sales were often accompanied by increasing price
competition. In the United States, however, the market for
non-alcoholic beer is developing along positive lines.
The international corporate brands Heineken, Amstel,
Buckler and Murphy's Irish Stout occupy a central position
in our policy. The local and regional brands and beer
specialities play a supporting and complementary role in that
connection.
o
Amstel 6.3
Sales of Heineken, Amstel and Buckler
worldwide
in millions of hectolitres
Geographical breakdown of the
sales of beer brewed under the
supervision of Heineken
in thousands of hectolitres
Europe
Western Hemisphere
Africa
Asia/Australia
1993
27,352
14,268
8,344
6,035
percentage
1992 increase
28,689
12,851
8,455
3,707
55,999 53,702
-4.7
11.0
- 1.3
62.8
4.3
The cornerstone of our strategy is our positioning in the
international premium segment of the world beer market.
With the Heineken brand we have a unique position here.
Our policy is aimed at further strengthening this position.
In addition we are seeking to expand our beer interests in
Europe. Partly due to our partnerships in the Far East and in
South America we are benefiting from the continuing growth
of the beer markets in these regions and we have sufficient
strength to cope with the competition.
At the same time, both in our breweries and in the
distribution sector, we are implementing improvements
leading to cost reductions and enhancement of flexibility.
From the commercial angle our policy is taking shape, inter
alia, through the reinforcement and expansion of the
commercial infrastructure, innovative advertising campaigns
and sponsoring of international events.
Sales of beer brewed under the supervision of Heineken rose
from 53.7 to 56.0 million hectolitres. We thus strengthened
our No. 2 position in the world beer market.
As in previous years, many activities were developed in 1993
to reinforce the international position of the Heineken brand.
Despite the decline in the beer market in Europe, sales
increased slightly. In the United States and Asia the
Heineken brand achieved a rise in sales.
In August we found during a quality check that in a certain
series of 33-centilitre green Heineken export bottles it was
possible for glass particles to come free occasionally through a
defect in the bottleneck. The bottles in question, which had
been exported to a limited number of markets, were
immediately recalled and destroyed. We held the glass
manufacturer liable. Thanks to the rapid action by our
enterprise, the damage to the image remained limited.
Sales of the Amstel brand increased. Higher sales were
achieved in Greece, Hungary, the United States and South
Africa. Amstel was also introduced in France.
Buckler, our non-alcoholic premium brand, is now
obtainable in some 60 countries. Sales have declined. In the
Netherlands it was decided to take the brand off the market.
In a number of countries sales fell, partly due to the bad
weather. In the United States they benefited from the growth
in the still small non-alcoholic segment.
14
