No smoking
Heineken
Ireland
THE WORLD OF HEINEKEN
she was given: "It is a great advantage coming from the business
into HR. While of course it is hard work and personally demanding I
also see it as an honour and privilege to be able, in some way, to
shape the environment, culture and values of a very successful,
dynamic, and caring organisation."
The future of the Irish beer market is challenging, due to many
changes. Nico Vervelde once more sums up the factors that will
cause these changes: "Per capita consumption will decrease
further to a level that will move back to normal. We also anticipate
that the ratio between on-trade and off-trade will ultimately work
out at 70-30." At first sight these are not prospects that make you
feel cheerful. But Heineken Ireland is not afraid of the future. The
'battlefield' is changing and the brewery is ready to achieve splendid
results in that new and challenging environment.
The sector had been very worried about the
smoking ban, as from 29 March 2004 no-one
has been allowed to light up a cigarette in
on-trade premises. What effect would this
measure have on visits to the pub? Worst-case
scenarios predicted that beer sales would
decline by six to eight per cent. At the time
when the editors visited Ireland the ban had
been in force for a few weeks and it was too
early to draw conclusions. According to
Corporate Affairs Manager Declan Farmer
"initially you may perhaps lose a few smokers,
who will be not be allowed to light up in the
pubs. But on the other hand you will undoubt
edly attract more non-smokers as new
customers. No doubt, three months trading
into the ban period will tell its own story."
The management team of Heineken Ireland.
Back row (l-r): Stephen Siemer (Finance Director), Patrick Conway
(Commercial Manager), Michael Van der Poel (Marketing Manager),
Ken O'Connor (Human Resources Manager). Middle row (l-r):
Charles Blythe (Wholesale Manager), Derek Orford (Technical
Manager). Front row: Nico Vervelde (General Manager)
