Operational review
Heineken'
Our number one priority is to drive top-line
growth through the creation of a global
portfolio that combines the power of local and
international brands and with the Heineken
brand as the jewel in the crown.
AMSTEL
14 Report of the Executive Board
15
Top-line growth
Top-line growth is the key measure of the strength
of a focused company. At the start of the year,
we set ourselves challenging targets in terms of
growing both profitability and volume across our
brand portfolio. Through a combination of focused
marketing investment, innovation, increased
emphasis on in-market execution, strong creative
marketing and a continuing commitment to
meeting consumer and customer needs, our top-
line performance across our brand portfolio in
2007 was strong with an organic 7.3 per cent
increase in revenue and a 6.5 per cent rise in
organic consolidated beer volume growth.
The Heineken brand
Nowhere was this growth more evident than
for the Heineken brand. For more than 125 years
the brand has been and continues to be at the
physical, emotional and financial heart of our
global portfolio. Throughout its history, successive
generations of managers and marketers have
made Heineken the world's most valuable
international premium beer brand. 2007 once
again saw strong growth. Volumes of the brand
in the international premium segment grew
considerably by 10 per cent, driving further
growth in the brand's share of the segment.
Heineken volume by region
In millions of hectolitres
Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2007
Western Europe*
7.5
30.4%
Global breakdown of brands
Central and Eastern Europe
2.6
10.5%
In millions of hectolitres
Americas
9.1
36.8%
Heineken
28.0
20.1%
Africa and Middle East
1.6
6.5%
Amstel
10.6
7.6%
Asia Pacific
3.9
15.8%
Other
100.6
72.3%
Total
24.7
100%
Total
139.2
100%
in premium segment
Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2007
Heineken
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