that will carry 5,500
construction
World ofHeineken 38 - summer 2008
ship will be well on its way to Florida, the
Caribbean, the Bahamas or Haiti."
Where cruise ships are concerned, timing is
everything, Granek explains. "The window
that we have to supply the product to a vessel
is very, very narrow. These logistics are made
even more complex because we are not the
only truck on the pier. There is also the guy
with the frozen food and vegetables, and then
there is the fresh food supplier, so there is a
pecking order on the pier. You have to be in
the right place at the right time."
Security is also a concern, particularly when
it comes to gaining access to the piers.
"You can't simply send anyone, anytime to
make the delivery," Granek says. "Because
security is extremely high, we now have to
submit in advance the person and the truck
license number. While our drivers now have
special identification cards and pier ID's,
they can't simply drive up and make the
delivery. Customs papers have to be signed
and stamped, as we are, after all, handling a
product that we have brought from Holland."
From a marketing point of view, Granek says
that while much effort is spent monitoring
market trends to ensure the passenger
has access to his favourite brand while on
board, the ocean cruise presents a prime
opportunity and environment to introduce the
consumer to new products.
"On a cruise, there are so many more
places where you have the opportunity
to drink a beer - from the pool bar in the
afternoon to the multitude of bars, casinos
and discotheques. So we try to offer people
consumption experiences on a cruise they will
try to duplicate and share with their friends
when they return home."
Hco.kwast@heineken.com
47
