E x p I o r a t
How Heineken is
pioneering an exciting
new category on the
U.S. beer landscape -
premium light beers
that combine high
levels of taste with low
levels of carbohydrates.
The word is out: the launch of Heineken Premium Light in the U.S. last year
was highly successful.
"We exceeded our launch aspirations significantly," says Andy Glaser,
Brand Director for Heineken. "We closed the year at well over seven million
cases of depletions, which translates into about half a million hectolitres."
The introduction of the new beer, the Heineken brand's first major line
extension ever, came on the back of research into new trends in the U.S.
market. "Consumers have continually looked for lighter products with
higher refreshment value," says Glaser.
The development of this phenomenal opportunity was not without
foundation; the light beer segment has been steadily developing over the
past few decades, as Willem van der Hoeven, Brand Director for Amstel
Light points out. "Light beer now accounts for nearly 50 percent of the total
volume of the U.S. beer market," he says. "We've been importing Amstel Light
since 1982, and over those 25 years, demand has been growing steadily."
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