• just-drinks home
• Companies

Heineken

---

Following on from just-drinks' analysis of Molson Coors' performance over the last five years, just-drinks' beer commentator Stephen Beaumont, considers the takeaways for the wider brewing industry.

---

When Heineken took full control of Lagunitas Brewing Co earlier this year, the Dutch brewer's management would have known full well what they were getting into: The two had already been in a 50/50 partnership for some months.

---

This month, former beverage analyst Ian Shackleton takes a long, hard look at marketing spend in the digital world, a better-than-expected results season and the return of green shoots for local spirits.

---

Craft beer has become the fastest-growing - and the most competitive - segment of the global beer market. With more than 1,700 craft breweries in the UK and over 5,200 in the US, the sector has a 12.3% market share of the total beer category and is starting to present a challenge to the growth of large breweries. One way mass beer producers have fought against the bubbling competition spilling over from craft brewers is to acquire them. Anheuser-Busch InBev, MillerCoors, Constellation Brands and Heineken - which together control 81% of the US market – have all expanded their portfolios through buying smaller craft beer brands.

Andy Thomas moved up to the CEO position at Craft Brew Alliance in 2014, following several years in the company's commercial operations. Previously, he spent 12 years at Heineken USA - the last two of which were as unit president. Thomas's experience in big brewing has proved useful at CBA, as the company moves to deepen its ties with major shareholder Anheuser-Busch InBev. In part one of this two-part interview, Thomas provides insight into the latest deal, which gives AB InBev a staggered, qualified offer option to acquire CBA.

---

Last year, Heineken secured a return to the European sports stage for its Amstel brand. Having called time on its ten-year sponsorship of the UEFA Champions League football competition in 2005, Amstel has just completed the first of a three-year tie-up with the slightly lower-profile Europa League football tournament. Replacing Amstel as Champions League sponsor? Why, it was - and continues to be - brand Heineken. Last month, Olly Wehring travelled to Switzerland to meet Walter Drenth, the group's senior global director for international brands, before being forced to endure his team's defeat that evening to Seville in the Europa League final.

Mexican group FEMSA has sold off just over 5% of the 20% stake it holds in Heineken, bringing in almost US$3bn.

---

Heineken has launched an online TV show to support its Old Mout cider brand in the UK.

---

The International Alliance for Responsible Drinking has released its fourth annual Producers’ Commitments progress report.

---

Heineken has deepened its commitment to responsible drinking with a new study aimed at uncovering behavioural triggers that cause consumers to drink and drive. 

---

Heineken is to showcase its latest Eric Cantona-fronted ads for Kronenbourg 1664 on the brand's Amazon UK landing page.

---

Heineken has completed its GBP305m (US$380m) takeover of part of the Punch Taverns pub portfolio to become the UK's third-largest pub landlord.

---

Heineken has launched a US social media campaign with boxer and Tecate brand ambassador Canelo Alvarez, ahead of his middleweight title showdown against Gennady Golovkin.

---

Heineken has backed its US craft beer unit Lagunitas after the Californian brewer released a cannabis beer.

---

Heineken is expected to wrap up its acquisition of Punch Taverns pubs before the end of the month after it received the green light from UK authorities.

---

Compania Cervecerias Unidas has enjoyed a strong start to 2017, with top-line growth hitting double digits in the first half of the year.

---

Anheuser-Busch InBev is to create Russia's second-largest beer producer by combining its operations in the country with those of Turkey's Anadolu Efes.

---

Heineken has gained a UK listing for its Cidrerie Stassen in a supermarket wine aisle.

---

Heineken’s CEO has blamed the parallel market for a slump in Chinese beer volumes this year.

---

Heineken has posted a solid lift in H1 sales as volumes increased in all of its regions.

---

Heineken-owned Lagunitas Brewing Co has bought a minority stake in Michigan craft brewer Short's Brewing Co.

---

Heineken's Americas Export division has appointed US Beverage (USB) to import several of its local brands to the US market. 

---

Heineken's US unit has launched Artisanal Blend under its Strongbow hard cider brand. The new flavour is made with heirloom cider apple varieties, Heineken said. The cider is cold-pressed and semi-sweet. 

---

Heineken has lost its appeal in Greece against a fine for "abusing its dominant position" in the country’s market, although the amount of the fine has been reduced.

---

Heineken has signed a five-year sponsorship deal with the Ethiopian Athletics Federation through its Sofi Malt brand.

---

Heineken has secured ‘beer partner’ status in Ireland for its namesake beer brand with a soon-to-be-opened stadium in the south of the country.

---

Heineken has offered to sell some of the UK pubs it is set to acquire from Punch Taverns in a bid to appease regulators.

---

Heineken has said its Tequila-flavoured beverage Desperados complies with all labelling regulations, after the body in charge of safeguarding Tequila's image reportedly accused the brand of misrepresenting the spirit.

Heineken is known for its flashy adverts. Now the brewer has given the star treatment to a new recruitment drive with a glamorous and highly-persuasive ad that, quite frankly, had the staff here at just-drinks dusting off their resumes.

---

Here in the UK, we're coming to the end of a fine summer of cricket, with England having played against Sri Lanka and Pakistan in a number of matches around the country.