Heineken brand relaunched

The Heineken brand is still being made available to Vincentians; it is, however, being done in a new bottle and will be distributed by a new agent.{{more}}

And to celebrate both events, new agent for the product, Coreas Hazells Inc., launched both in gala style last Saturday evening at Club S.O.V.

Ezzie Roberts, sales and marketing manager, said that the new bottling was a global initiative – there was a similar event held in Dominica, he said.

Coreas Hazells has been the agents for the beer since April 1, this year.

There were some commitments, Roberts said, referring to the just concluded Bequia Easter Regatta.

“They had asked for us to take over, so, we had the obligation and signed that agreement with them.

“Heineken is an international brand and you will find the brand associated with big events,” Roberts said, including events such as the Easter Regatta.

The new “K2” bottle, as it is termed, sports a new sleek look, with a longer neck and transparent labels; at the back the Heineken label is embossed, Roberts explained, as opposed to the label on the previous bottle.

“They wanted the bottle to have a more premium feel,” he told SEARCHLIGHT.

The product is now being distributed by Coreas Hazells, but it is not the first time that the company has been in the business of distributing beer.

The point was made, and according to Joel Providence, managing director of Coreas Hazells, he and Jimmy Forde, divisional manager made a pitch for the Heineken agency three years ago.

“Jimmy and I went to Puerto Rico and we continued the dialogue with the Heineken folks in Costa Rica and they came to St Vincent and we gave a fantastic presentation, if I may say so,” Providence said.

But they did not get the agency, but the managing director said that in his opinion the presentations made did not go in vain.

The beer is among the most renowned beers in the world and one of the world’s most recognizable icons — the green bottle with a red star.

Heineken has been in existence since 1873, Providence said — a hallmark of the beer’s quality.

Heineken was previously distributed here by St Vincent Brewery Ltd. (DD)