Europe
Sales proceeds were up 4.5% to
NLG 7,157 million. Earnings
again increased.
The European beer market showed a stable picture in 1995,
too. The consequence of this is intensified competition, as a
result of which greater and greater marketing efforts are
required. The shift in sales from the hotel, restaurant and café
sector to the off-premise sector - particularly noticeable in
Southern Europe - continued. There has also been an
increase in own brands. All this led to a pressure on margins.
The premium segment showed a slightly less strong growth
than in previous years.
The Netherlands
In the Netherlands, Heineken has breweries at
's-Hertogenbosch, Zoeterwoude, Wijlre and Maastricht,
as well as the soft drinks company Vrumona at Bunnik.
Amongst others, the Company sells the beer brands
Heineken, Amstel, Van Vollenhoven's Stout, Kylian,
Lingen's Blond, '1996', Brand, Ridder, Wieckse Witte,
Vos and Murphy's Irish Stout.
The beer market in the Netherlands showed a slight increase
in 1995, mainly as a result of the once again fine weather in
July and August and the long Indian summer. The off-
premise market was able to benefit somewhat more from this
than the hotel, restaurant and café market. Despite a slight
growth in the Dutch beer market, per capita beer
consumption fell to 85.8 litres in 1995 compared with 86.0
litres in 1994.
As in previous years, around 90% of the beer market was
accounted for by lager beers. Within this dominant segment
the Heineken, Amstel and Brand brands were well able to
maintain their position with a stable market share.
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
15 Poland
Bulgaria
Ireland
_2i7 Switzerland
Hungary
ml Other countries
The non-alcoholic segment saw a continuation of the sharply
downward trend. Amstel Malt managed, however, to
improve its market share.
The special beer segment, in which imported beers play a
significant part, showed a further increase. Our market share
fell to some extent. Within this segment Amstel Meibock was
successfully launched.
The overall earnings from our Dutch beer activities showed
some improvement, mainly due to cost control. The further
expansion of the distribution position through acquisitions of
drinks wholesalers also had a positive effect on earnings.
A start has been made on the adaptation of the hotel,
restaurant and café organization with the aim of further
enhancing the service to the customers.
Within the investment plan a new control system was
installed in one of the brewhouses at Zoeterwoude in 1995.
The second phase of the cellar plan was also completed.
At 's-Hertogenbosch a new bottle filling line was installed
which is suitable for both returnable and one-way packaging.
In addition, a start was made on the replacement of the cellar;
Beer sales in Europe 1995
brewed under the
supervision of Heineken, per country
in millions of hectolitres
24
