24 However, though Heineken may be
the number one imported brand, there
are dangerous rivals. 'Competition is
fierce (Tenerife currently has more
than fifty different brands of beer!, ed.)
and we expect that the number of com
petitors will increase even further. We
have to make sure that Heineken is not
offered at fancy discount prices, as that
would affect its image.'
Chastang, too, anticipates a further
growth in competition over the next
five years. He expects that the local
brand in particular will grow, as this
product's low price will enable it to
profit from the tighter economic condi
tions. He does not expect much chal
lenge from the new brands: 'They are
focused on tourism and that's on the
decline.' Roel adds: 'It's our conviction
that the local population does not need
yet another new beer brand. They can
now choose between the cheap local
brand and a number of more expensive
imported brands. Luckily, in the latter
case they opt for Heineken.'
You could describe Gran Canaria
as Heineken's bridgehead on the
Canary Islands. Some 34 years ago the
first shipment of Heineken beer was
sent out to Gran Canaria. Adolfo de la
Torre was the man who worked then
as agent for Heineken. Today, in the
year 1991, that same Adolfo - mean
while a hardy 80-year-old- still looks
after Heineken's interests together
with son Armando and daughter-in-
law Humbe. And how! For more than
thirty years sales of Heineken have
been moving up and up, culminating in
enormous growth in the mid-1980s.
Within the space of a few years a mar
ket share of some 20% has been built
up.
A talk with De la Torre senior
('Here in the office I feel happy. Why
should I sit reading a newspaper on a
park bench?') inevitably starts with
his recollections of those initial diffi
cult years. 'My father had been agent
on Gran Canaria for Henkes gin since
the start of the century. One day a Hen
kes representative came to Gran Cana
ria. We were sitting in the hotel bar and
he ordered a Heineken beer. But
nobody had heard of that brand. The
Henkes representative sounded me
out, to see whether I was interested in
taking on the agency for Heineken. A
couple of months later, after talking
with Heineken, I was given the agency
for Gran Canaria and Tenerife.'
The first order that Adolfo de la
Torre booked for Heineken came from
his friend Antonio Cruz Naranje,
owner of a wholesale business. That
order was for the princely quantity of
25 cartons of Heineken!
De la Torre soon realised that the
international image that Heineken had
already built up in those days would be
a strong selling point. He carefully
selected the best outlets, such as hotels
and restaurants, and he focused all his
efforts on sales to local consumers.
Those efforts have borne fruit: almost
90% of all Heineken beer is drunk by
the local population.
Adolfo de la Torre with son
Armando and daughter-in-
law Humbe. They have
boosted sales of Heineken beer
enormously over the past five
years.
T H F. WORLD
H E I N F K F. N
