E-Malt.com News article: 1033

The Netherlands-based brewing group, Heineken, has said it has secured major distribution deals for the UK market which will see the brewer supply premium beer directly to 1,000 pubs and four of the UK's leading supermarket chains. The announcement of the deal follows Heineken's decision to terminate its brewing-under-licence deal in the UK with Whitbread and begin importing directly from the Netherlands. This also coincided with the company focusing on high-strength 5% abv lager. Heineken had warned that its strategy would impact on UK sales and profits in the short term. CEO, Anthony Ruys, said in March that the move could reduce UK volumes, around 2.2m hls in 2002, by between 1.0m and 1.5million hectolitres in 2003 and result in a 20m (US$22.46m) fall in UK profits.

08 May, 2003