Do you know where
Heineken Beer is drunk ice-
cold? In Riksgransen, one of
Sweden's most popular ski
ing areas, just to the north of
the Polar Circle. According to
Adaco, the Heineken agent in
Sweden, Riksgransen is one
of the northernmost places
on the globe where Heineken
(and Murphy) draught dis
pensers have been installed.
Adaco AB has been the
agent for Heineken in
Sweden since April 1995.
Previously the sale and dis
tribution of beer was in the
hands of the state monopoly
Vin Sprit Centralen. Beers
in Sweden are subdivided
into various classes.
Heineken is classed as 'stark
öl', or strong beer, and its
alcohol percentage of 5
means that it belongs in the
Class III segment.
Heineken Beer is sold in
Sweden in many on premise
outlets. Heineken is also
available in the retail trade,
in the liquor stores of the
distribution company
Systembolaget, which in
turn forms part of Vin
Sprit Centralen.
Adaco AB employees Jens
Hedin and Matz Fagnell con
centrate entirely on develop
ing the Heineken brand in
Sweden. In particular they
organise many promotions
and ensure the presence of
Heineken Beer at the appro
priate events and in the
places of relevance to the
target group, as the photos
here show.
One of the Heineken-
sponsored events was
a concert by the
American band Toto,
which attracted some
5,000 visitors.
Amstel Light was one of the
prizewinners during the
World Beer Championships
organised by the American
Beverage Testing Institute
Inc. Amstel Light won a sil
ver medal.
The World Beer
Championships is a series of
tastings organised by style
and category, with the beers
being tasted throughout the
year. In other words, similar
beers from one category are
all tasted together, in the
same way that they compete
in the marketplace.
Each tasting panel con
sists of five jury members
and a staff employee of the
Institute. The taste testing is
'blind', i.e. the beer brand
and the shape of the bottle
are kept secret from the
panel.
Jens Hedin (left) and Matz
Fagnell: support for the
Heineken brand in Sweden.
Riksgransen, the north
ernmost spot on the
globe where Heineken
Beer is on sale.
If the sun decides to
come out, they open the
outdoor Heineken bar on
the balcony.
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