Strong position for Heineken and Amstel in Gulf states For many years now the Heineken and Amstel brands have been successfully exported to the Gulf states: the oil-producing countries of Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The Gulf states represent an im portant export market for Heineken: after the United States and Puerto Rico, the area ranks third in the Heineken charts of the most successful export markets. Heineken is represented in the Gulf states by Gray Mackenzie, a British importer which has had establishments in the countries round the Gulf ever since the nineteenth century. Anyone who exports has to abide by the rules of the country concerned. This very much holds true for the Gulf states, since these are Islamic countries and the import and sale of alcoholic drinks is not freely permitted. A limited number of importers are allowed to re tail alcoholic drinks to non-Muslim con sumers, in other words to the hundreds of thousands of expatriates. These ar rived in the Gulf states when, after the start of oil production, those countries had to develop their infrastructure, which meant building whole cities at tremendous speed in the desert areas. The Gulf states house vast numbers of expatriates. As an illustration: in Dubai the total population is 800,000. About 600,000 of these are expatriates. But this does not mean that the coun try's potential beer market consists of 600,000 consumers; many of the expat riates originate from Asian, Islamic countries, so that they are also subject to the ban on the consumption of al cohol. Income The consumers who are allowed al coholic drinks have to possess a liquor permit which entitles them to spend a limited amount on purchasing alcoholic drinks (mainly beer and whisky) each month. The permitted quantity of al cohol depends on their income. In addi tion, they may only consume alcohol in their home. There are also several hotel and restaurant establishments in which alcohol may be served to non-Muslims. Because of religious reasons, no adver tising for beer is allowed on television. Promotions, too, have to be held in closed, private gatherings. Heineken's export department, in cooperation with Gray Mackenzie, initiates promotional campaigns in hotels and restaurants by running lotteries, offering free advertis ing articles or organising beer festivals, whilst there is also sponsorship of, say, rugby teams which play their matches on private grounds away from the gen eral public, thus avoiding any infringe ment of Islamic laws. Conference Once a year representatives of the Heineken export department get to gether with the management and sales representatives of Gray Mackenzie for the Heineken Conference. Both sides give presentations on the progress of their business and on the position of our brands in the various Gulf states. They also reach agreements on prices, promotions and new products or packs. 29 The meeting between representatives of Gray Mackenzie and Heineken. Centre, in the blue suit: Mr. G.R. Habbershaw, Heineken Export Director, and on his left Mr. C. Johnson, marketing director of Gray Mackenzie. Next to Mr. Johnson is Mr. E. Morham, Heineken regional export manager. On Mr. Habbershaw's right is Mr. J. WDeurvorst, area export manager of Heineken. THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN

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World of Heineken | 1989 | | pagina 29