79.8mhl (2017: 78.8mhl) 341% (2017: 36.1%) 14.5mhl (2017: 13.8mhl) €10,348m (2017: €9,990m) €1,4 51m (2017: €1,371m) 36.4% (2017: 35.1%) Regional Review (continued) Europe The region delivered another positive year. Our focus on operational excellence, premium and innovation enabled us to offset headwinds and increase strategic investments. This translated into revenue and profit growth. O Q, Report of the Executive Board Report of the Supervisory Board Key brands: Heineken®, Cruzcampo, Birra Moretti, Desperados, Strongbow Apple Cider Our focus on premium and innovation continued to pay off in the region. Heineken® grew ahead of the market while we continued the successful roll-out of Heineken® 0.0 across Europe. Beer volumes across Europe grew moderately, with key markets including France, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany and Ireland delivering particularly strong performances. Our strategy of focusing on premiumisation and innovation, together with continuous cost management, helped to offset the transport cost increases in France and the negative financial impact of the CO2 shortage in the UK during the summer of 2018. In 2018, the weather was unusually good in Northern and Eastern Europe and unusually mild in Southern Europe, boosting seasonal sales in some markets and negatively affecting others. Our diverse local footprint combined with our global scale provides unique opportunities to meet fast changing consumer preferences. Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia led the development of the premium segment through Heineken® and Lasko, while volumes of Krusovice saw strong growth in Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Birra Moretti continued to go from strength to strength in Italy and successfully travelled to the UK, where it continues to deliver very strong double digit growth. After the integration of Punch Taverns in the UK, our Star Pubs Bars business is a key foundation of our business strategy in UK, providing unique consumer touchpoints. Strongbow Dark Fruit gained strong momentum in the UK, while Orchard Thieves has been successfully introduced in 16 European markets. Our strategy of developing the cider category outside its traditional home markets is developing well, in particular in Spain where cider is becoming popular. Our focus on the craft and variety category gained momentum in 2018, with Lagunitas growing in the Netherlands, France and the UK while line extensions of our brands such as Soproni, Zywiec and Ichnusa captured opportunities through local relevance. This strategy is being complemented by selective acquisitions in the craft and variety segment. In 2018, we acquired a minority stake in Beavertown, a London based craft brewery. In Spain, we acquired a 51% majority stake in Spanish craft brewer, La Cibeles. The Blade, a countertop draught system with eight litre kegs, is now available in 12 European markets. We increasingly provide our on-trade customers a greater service and experience through digitalisation. Our e-commerce platform, which we operate in a number of markets, meets customer needs 24/7 to check and order stock availability. Beerwulf.com expanded its direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform of craft and variety across five markets in Europe, offering craft and specialty beers to beer lovers. Financial Statements Sustainability Review Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2018 Other Information Consolidated beer volume Consolidated beer Heineken® volume volume as of total Net revenue (beia) Operating profit (beia) Operating profit (beia) as of total Brand seasons and Brand IPA Brand is a Dutch beer brewed in the Netherlands which is all about smell, colour and taste with a focus on two segments: seasonal beers and IPA. It targets consumers that want to discover a variety of tastes through our local craft line extensions with a well-established brand. We launched a successful campaign which encourages consumers 'to taste' the various Brand seasonal beers and limited editions such as Brand Herfstbier and Brand Premier Bock. In 2018, Brand also launched innovations including Brand Session IPA and Brand Weizen 0.0. Olivo pilot project in Spain In Spain, we grow and cultivate barley among olive trees in order to save water, minimise erosion and improve biodiversity. This agricultural innovation project demonstrates that diversification and intercropping allows the improvement of water infiltration. It is a research project which will take place over four years and three crop cycles, but the initial results are promising. Through this project, we are able to compensate our water intake, conserve the environment and boost the local economy by using the barley in our brewing process. We brewed 'Cruzcampo Bock Olivarera' with barley from this project in our craft brewery in Malaga.

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

Jaarverslagen | 2018 | | pagina 26