exican market
has big potential
Pride in national beers curbs Heineken growth
Mexico. The world's
eighth biggest beer
market. Heineken has
been on the Mexican
market since 1989. The
start was hesitant, but
the breakthrough is
planned for this year.
The Mexican economy is prosper
ing. GNP is climbing, inflation is
on the high side yet under con
trol, many American businesses have
investment plans and employment is
growing. Within the space of a few
years the present political leaders
have gained public support for their
economic measures.
Confidence in the policy being
pursued by Mexico will be strengthen
ed further onee the signing of the Free
Trade Agreement with the United
States and Canada becomes a fact and
Mexico gains the expected definitive
link-up with North America.
Ties
It is not only in an economic
respect that Mexico wants to join up
with the North American continent. In
the north of Mexico in particular the
population feel strong ties with the
American way of life. American TV
stations beamed in via satellite,
American automobiles in the streets,
even the infrastructure of U.S. cities is
reflected in a city like Monterrey (a
2'A-hour drive from the Texan border).
The further south you get in
Mexico the less yon notice of the
American sphere of influence. In
Mexico City, the world's biggest city
with its twenty million inhabitants,
the United States is a long way away,
with the exception of the television
stations. Many houses have satellite
dishes to pick up U.S. TV pro
grammes.
City
Mexico City is a city that literally
takes your breath away. The thinner
air (Mexico City is located 2,000 me
tres above sea level) combined with
the high degree of air pollution make
living in Mexico City a necessary evil.
Doctors mainly treat patients with
respiratory complaints.
The seriousness of the air pollu
tion features daily in the newspapers.
Each day a column is reserved for the
pollution forecasts for various parts of
the city. The pointer regularly moves
into the red area as the values reach
dangerous levels. It's therefore not
surprising that on Friday afternoon
the broad boulevards of Mexico City
T II E W O R I. I) O I HEINEKEN
