World ofHeineken 39 - winter 2008/2009
of less than 50 hectolitres," says Doron. "One solution
was to introduce a simple yet effective system—such
as the DAVID or Xtreme Draught units— to eliminate
cleaning costs and maintain the maximum hygiene
quality. The keg is kept within a refrigerated unit so
that the beer is served at a constant temperature.
Additionally, the keg will stay fresh for up to 30 days,"
he says.
However, despite such unique innovations, fluctuations
in draught beer quality served through the traditional,
inline cooler systems remain an issue, says John. "We
currently use external specialists to measure and
report on what is being purchased by our drinkers.
They measure beer quality across 420 different
outlets in 14 cities each quarter," he says. "They
measure the temperature of the beer when served—
we strive to achieve 3 degrees in the glass!—and
look at the appearance, the amount of foam, and
carry out bacteriological tests. We know that drinkers
define quality as a cold, refreshing beer, bright, with a
sparkle that is served in a clean glass with a smile. By
regularly measuring our performance and delivering
this together with our customers to consumers we can
set ourselves clear targets to improve quality levels."
Although much of the focus on draught beer quality
is concentrated in Western Europe, where more than
70 per cent of Heineken's draught beer sales occur,
markets further afield have also been impacted.
Heineken Hungary, for example, saw a strong increase
in sales and profitability levels following the introduction
of a draught beer policy, says Doron. "Hungary
introduced clear rules and guidelines for the sales force
so that they knew which system to offer to particular
customers. Our market feedback is that if you serve good quality
beer to consumers, then they simply will enjoy the experience and
consume a second glass".
Laszlo Benedek, Heineken's National Sales Manager in Hungary, is
upbeat on the benefits. "We continue to receive good feedback from
the market on our draught policy and system offering, including the
no-cleaning David technology. Our sales force is very knowledgeable
about the systems and works well with our customers. And consumers
are enjoying the pleasures of drinking a perfectly tapped draught
beer, served at the correct temperature".
Heineken is absolutely committed to improving the drinking
experience, concludes Ricketts. "The company will continue to drive
quality and the drinking experience through developments stemming
from its research and innovation departments. However, now that
we've set quality parameters centrally, we need to support our local
markets to develop the strategy that works for our customers and of
course the consumer who remains central to our success and is best
placed to judge if we are achieving our quality benchmark."
Such a strategy will result from the available draught beer policy
framework, which aims to optimise the beer quality for consumers
and financial returns for Heineken's stakeholders, by having clear
directives for the sales force regarding which draught dispense
systems to use for which brand and volume segment.
Doron. Wijnschenk&Heineken. com
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