Premium Performance
INNOVATION
Heinekeri
Grocery retail is currently Europe's fastest growing channel when it comes to beer sales,
and much of this growth comes from international retail chains. In order to grow market
share across the continent, HEINEKEN has identified an opportunity to drive sales within
this sector by improving the in-store shopping experience for consumers on a pan-European
level. And with a strong geographical spread that matches the geographical spread of
major international customers, HEINEKEN is perfectly positioned to do so.
n some cases, the beer aisles
in many major retailers are not
h. well organised, so the shopper
doesn't really want to spend much time
there. "We've recently proved that, by
creating premium-looking beer aisles,
we can improve the in-store shopping
experience for the consumer and, in
doing so, drive sales growth in the beer
category," says Ross Mair, European
Business Development Manager.
Improving the attractiveness of the
beer shelves is a fundamental part of
HEINEKEN's strategy to drive market
share in Europe. This involves working
more closely with retailers on business
planning, presentation and promotion.
"By working closely with strategic
customers, we can create joint business
plans that are tailor-made to their
particular needs. These include win-
win category initiatives, which can
lead to a better shopping experience
and ultimately, improved business
performance for HEINEKEN and our off-
trade partners," explains Ross.
Initiatives range from simple
fundamentals, such as improving fixtures
and shelf layout, to introducing new
innovations and the more dramatic in-
store theatre. "The latter two initiatives
are a big point of differentiation, as
they show how beer can bring fun and
excitement into the shopping experience
in a way that other categories, such as
washing powder for example, cannot."
With much of the growth in the grocery
retail channel coming from international
retailers, the Company has identified
the need to have one European point
of contact for strategic customers who
are in the position to collaborate at
an international level. "HEINEKEN's
European scale and market position
gives us the competitive advantage to
create European-wide partnerships with
international retailers that are beneficial
to both parties," says Ross. "It's something
our competitors cannot offer."
The Company began working with
Carrefour, the world's second-largest
retailer, at the end of 2009. "Together
with Carrefour, we are aiming to grow the
beer category, offering benefits to both
8 World of HEINEKEN Autumn 2011
