Extra polish
In the picture
Framed
1 9 2 3 - 2 O O 2
When Alfred Heineken announced that he was planning to pay
a visit, the brewery instantly swung into action. Everything was
usually spick-and-span already, but was given an extra polish
anyway. It was important that Alfred Heineken should be proud
of what he saw around him and proud to show it off to his guests.
This extra effort was a mark of respect to a man who meant so
much to the staff, as employer, brand owner and builder of a large,
international and always profitable company.
Many pictures of Mr Heineken with members of staff have
appeared in Heineken publications over the years. The people in
these pictures have been tracked down - in some cases many
years after their meeting with Mr Heineken - and asked for their
memories of that moment.
A quotation from Leven in de Brouwerij, the house journal of the
Zoeterwoude brewery, dating from 1998 reads: 'The excitement
on Thursday, 11 June, the date of the official opening of a new
subdivision of the Packaging Department, was palpable. The
rumour swept through the brewery that Mr Heineken was
coming....' He did indeed visit the brewery that day, and among
