HEINEKEN CONCLUDES CONTRACT FOR
DISTRIBUTION IN THE CAUCASUS
On 1 April this year
Heineken Export concluded
a distribution contract
with Alliance Caucasia.
This company, with
operations in Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan, is
fifty per cent Dutch-owned.
The other fifty per cent is
in Georgian hands.
Distribution in Georgia is more devel
oped. Heineken is available in most
cities in this country. Georgia attracts
many foreign investors and its eco
nomy is on the way up. The country
does not have a special beer culture.
"Georgia was the very first country
in the world where people made
wine. Because of the Russian influ
ence vodka also became a popular
drink over the years. Beer is slowly
gaining in popularity."
FILM SHOTS
It very seldom occurs that a sales
seminar makes front-page news in
the newspapers or even attracts a
television camera crew. But that's
what happened to Heineken in
Georgia when sales reps from
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan
attended a combined training course
in selling techniques. In the early
1990s tensions between Armenia
and Azerbaijan culminated in a war
between the two countries. Even
after hostilities had ceased, relations
between the two remained strained.
But Heineken succeeded in reaching
what politicians in the region had
A toast to a fruitful cooperation
between Alliance Caucasia and Heineken.
Pictured centre is Wim Hekstra
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan are
new, emerging nations. The latter
country in particular has great
potential thanks to its oil reserves. At
the moment, therefore, its economy
is showing enormous growth. The
number of expats who work there
are fast increasing and are expected
28
to reach more than 100,000 in a few
years' time. Those expats form an
attractive base for sales of Heineken
and Murphy's Irish Stout in
Azerbaijan.
Wim Hekstra is the area export
manager with responsibility for
this and other former Soviet
states. "Thanks to the expats, sales
of Murphy's have rocketed. But
Heineken is also doing very well. For
1998 we expect a tripling of sales in
Azerbaijan." At the end of this year
the distribution of Heineken, Amstel
and Murphy's will be concentrated
in Azerbaijan's five biggest cities. In
Armenia distribution will provision
ally remain limited to the capital.
This country's economic develop
ment is lagging slightly behind that
of the other countries in the region.
Since spending power there is low,
that does not make the position of a
premium brand like Heineken any
easier.
failed to reach: bringing representati
ves from Armenia and Azerbaijan
together so that they could take part
in the course Selling Beer the
Heineken Way.
This course lasts two-and-a-half days
and it not only gives the participants
background information about the
brand and the Heineken company
but also teaches them the basic tech
niques of selling and offers an oppor
tunity to discuss their personal expe
riences in the field. Wim Hekstra:
"For many of those attending the
course it was the first time they had
done anything like that. The partici
pants were very enthusiastic and
eager to learn."
