U.S. The board gave its consent and
in 1947 Leo van Munching became
the proud proprietor of his own busi
ness, Van Munching Co. Inc.
Spanner
With the help of liquor importer
Austin Nichols, Leo van Munching
succeeded in boosting sales to 90,000
cases within six years. However, the
Second World War threw a spanner in
the works. Exports from Holland were
discontinued and Heineken soon dis
appeared from the American market.
This involuntary withdrawal was to
last seven years.
After World War II the state
government of New York ruled that
liquor importers were no longer
Support
He quickly noticed that, despite an
absence of so many years, Heineken
Beer had not been forgotten by the
American consumer. Soon, Leo van
Munching was able to inform the
Heineken directors that sales were
back at the same level as in 1939. At
the end of the 1940s Leo van
Munching received support in the
business from his son Leo van
Munching Jr. Leo Jr. departed for
Holland, worked in the brewery and
spent six months in the export depart
ment familiarising himself with how
things were handled.
In 1950 Van Munching Co. was
selling between 200,000 and 300,000
cases of Heineken Beer per year,
mainly in the states of New York and
New Jersey. Leo Jr. was given the
assignment of boosting the distribu
tion level by starting up a sales office
in Chicago and putting together a
sales force. His son's success in
Chicago persuaded Leo Sr. to fetch
him back to structure the highly
important New York market accor
ding to the same principle. After New
Today's Van Munching management teamforeground: managing director Michael Foley.
From left, Matt Nestor, Chris Vuyk, Dan Walsh and Eric Marham.
had already built up much experience
of exports, decided to look into the
possibilities for Heineken Beer on the
American market and an export
manager was sent to the U.S. to con
duct fieldwork. He did not need to
wait to reach the U.S. before setting
down to business. On board the ship
he met Leo van Munching, who was
working as steward on the vessel and
appreciated the quality of Heineken
Beer. Leo van Munching offered his
services to the Heineken manager to
sell Heineken Beer in America.
allowed to import beer. Leo van
Munching set off for Holland and con
vinced the then executive board that
he was the most suitable person to
resume the Heineken activities in the
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
