David -fresherfor longer!
World ofHeineken 37 - Winter 2007/2008
dependence on customers. It has also formed
the basis of a draught beer policy to ensure that
Heineken's brands are presented to the consumer
at the highest quality standard. The draught
beer policy is a framework that establishes clear
guidelines for Heineken sales teams in selecting the
draught dispense system best suited for a specific
brand or a specific outlet in a range of volume
segments.
"The growing complexity of the draught beer
market triggered the need for a more structured
and better substantiated decision-making process
for selecting and installing draught beer systems,"
says Doron Wijnschenk at Heineken Beer Systems.
"Not all draught beer installations are appropriate
for every on-premise outlet. A system that works
in one type of pub, club or restaurant may not
be suitable for another. The optimal deployment
of any given draught beer installation should be
determined by the volume of beer the outlet sells
and the portfolio of brands on offer."
The draught beer policy framework will allow
Heineken to achieve greater consistency in the
markets, he adds. "It will help us to optimise the
quality of the beers we serve and contribute to
greater financial earnings both for the company and
for our customers."
News from the front
In the lead-up to developing a policy framework,
Heineken conducted a detailed evaluation of its
leading European operations to gain better insights
into the market dynamics of brewing and serving
draught beer. Data about the number of draught
beer systems deployed in each market and their
performance, as well as key financial figures, was
collected, while quality indicators such as cleaning
frequency and cleaning costs were also considered.
"Ultimately, our businesses will adapt and
implement this policy framework according to their
specific market conditions, so it is crucial to have
detailed local knowledge," says Ricketts. "It has been
a very challenging but rewarding process, and we
have gained valuable insights into our draught beer
business and how we can better meet the needs of
our customers."
Market analysis
In 2006, Heineken Hungary conducted a market
analysis in order to gain a clearer understanding of
the market's draught beer dynamics. "Our national
horeca sales team conducted exactly this kind
of evaluation," says Laszlo Benedek, Commercial
Manager at Heineken Hungary. "We visited more
than 10,000 on-premise outlets across the country
in order to create a concrete re-distribution policy
for our systems and so improve the effectiveness
and profitability of our draught beer segment."
The lowest volume outlets in Hungary were
identified, and sales managers were directed to
remove David draught beer systems and replace
them with bottle contracts. David systems will only
be considered for outlets with volumes between
15 and 40 hectolitres per year when outlet space
An easy name to remember for an easy to handle professional draught system
designed for outlets which sell between 20 and 100 litres per week. David combines
all the essentials of the true draught beer experience, guaranteeing prolonged beer
freshness and optimal beer quality thanks to the patented no-cleaning concept.
permits.
Support tool
Heineken Switzerland recently equipped its
on-premise sales force with additional tools to
determine the right draught beer system for any
given outlet. "Our commercial managers have been
supplied with an 'equipment placement decision
tree'," says Toni Schneider, Sales Distribution
Director at Heineken Switzerland. "This is a support
tool developed to help our sales staff advise outlet
managers on the best draught beer installation for
their particular establishment."
The tool, a flow-chart, poses questions relating to
the provision of draught beer installations. Does
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