Heineken's star has faded
After all the skirmishes with Thaibev, Heineken managed to win the final 'Battle of Singapore' last year and obtained absolute supremacy over Asia Pacific Breweries.
It looks a bit like a mutual agreement between the giants Heineken and Thaibev, the owner of Chang beer, among other things. One is taking over the stake in APB from Singapore-based Fraser & Neave and the other is buying Fraser & Neave Neave and thus acquiring a great distribution channel.
Asian beer market
Stock exchange gurus were of the opinion that our native brewer paid a very high price for it. However, Heineken had little choice and to remain active in the Asian market there was no other way out. With 30 breweries in 12 countries and many beer brands, including the Tiger brand, APB, and now Heineken, has a considerable market share in Asia.
Heineken profiles itself with its so-called premium beer at the top of the market, while Chang uses price as a weapon. Tiger beer has a good reputation and market share, particularly in the Asian region. You can also see that Cheers, which is now part of the Heineken stable, is slowly being pushed forward as a price fighter.
And what about the Indonesian brand Bintang, which is brewed by Multi Bintang belonging to APB, over which Heineken now has full control.
Advertising Chan
In the time of the late Freddy Heineken, publicity rarely happened without the big boss's knowledge. The green bottle and the red star, that was unmistakably Heineken. And what do we see? In Thailand, the red star has been replaced by a white one. Freddy would turn in his grave if he could see this and fire the villain who came up with this immediately.
Beer girls
Who doesn't know them, the short-skirted Thai beer girls in the outfit of the brand they promote. A funny sight to see both a Heineken and a Chang girl working side by side in the same establishment. The Heineken lady in a soup dress with the word Heineken in cow letters over the full length on both the front and back. The green Heineken color has remained but the red star has faded and is now white. You would almost think that that extra color is too expensive after the hefty acquisition price for APB. You really don't have to be a fashion designer to label the whole thing as a printed potato sack. As a woman you have to walk around in it unhappy.
Nice to see that the Chang beer girl is dressed in the same color Heineken green. But that dress has a model and it is finished with a white band and a gold-colored belt. The brand name is in a civilized small font on her white bib.
Star
The major beer brand in Indonesia is Bintang, brewed by Multi Bintang and also belonging to the APB group and now Heineken. Bintang means star and no one can imagine that the red star would get a different color. What the logic of the Thai Heineken organization is to let that well-known red star fade to the color white remains a mystery.
A few years ago I was staying at the Narai hotel, I was also surprised by a sexy beer girl, didn't know that with three Carlsberg beers you got the fourth one for free, it was nice to experience.
I really don't like Heineken and what I don't understand is that it is also expensive here in Thailand.
And don't forget what Andre Hazes died of, so be careful with drinking Heineken.
Moderator: Your comment is very similar to chatting.
The red star has faded in Thailand.
So one wonders why that is now.
Many "foreign" affairs in Thailand are adapted to the Thai way of thinking, Thai ideas, Thai way of doing things and Thai taste.
That's just how it is.
However, a red star in Thailand is still associated with communism.
Maybe that's where the rub is?
Heineken is a marketing product but compared to 'our Belgian beers.., certainly tasteless, even called dishwater in places.., find the Bintang Zero; little alcohol a soft drinking beer .., actually 'alcohol free' but due to the natural process this is not possible .., and you also feel it after a few cans it makes you a bit 'tipsy' !!
Don't know if a variant is available in Thailand? in Indonesia it is and it sells well in eg Carrefour .., grtjs ,)
The “Heineken beer” in Thailand is not tasty!
Heineken beer that is brewed in Singapore, and that is often tax-free for sale at various borders between Thailand and neighboring countries, is a lot tastier than the Heineken that is brewed in Thailand.
I have only seen this tax-free Heineken beer for sale there in cans (33 cl),
and in an overpack of 24 cans.
What strikes me about this site and the reactions, that most people here do NOT like the Heineken beer!
My question is… how come Heineken is one of the most drunk beer worldwide?
Because through advertising, people want to believe that they are drinking something tasty.
Take Thailand for example – You say yourself that it is not tasty, but it is still drunk by many Thai people.
Not because it's tasty, but because it looks good to drink beer with a foreign name.
I like Thai beer much better.
As for the taste and that Heineken beer in Singapore is better than Thailand's - It's just like Coca Cola and other soft drinks. The flavors are adapted to the country where it is sold.
Anyway, I don't drink it because I find it tasteless. A beer without character.
Yes, that's right, Hans, most of the comments about Heineken on this blog are negative. Let me be the voice of the silent majority, because I think Heineken IS a nice beer with a great character and a good taste.
Occasionally I drink a Singha beer, but I don't like all the other brands, Chang, Dan Mig and above all Leo.
I totally agree with Gringo this time
Although I am not a beer drinker. (I prefer a glass of wine) I can occasionally drink a nice cold Heineken on a terrace. And it always tastes delicious to me
Both in the Netherlands and in Thailand. However, it tastes different in Thailand. I know that before
Arsenic was added to export beer in connection with its shelf life.
Tannin is now used. That gives you a headache. And the more of it goes into the beer, the taste will also change, I think
I can't imagine that the taste of dishwater is as Andre above
Says There are quite a few more people who like Heineken. If we look at the below
Heineken is active in 178 countries. With a total beer volume of 164,6 million hectoliters
He has more than 140 breweries in 71 countries. And is one of the most sold beers in the world
Greetings from Kees I'll take 1 more Cheers
Only now see that my initial response from a few days ago has not been posted, while 'not drinkable' are normal decent words.
Anyway, from now on I will write that I 'don't like' all that Thai beer when I want to indicate that when staying in Thailand, I therefore always prefer Heineken useful there. 😉
Editors: 'not to drink' was no problem, but the discussion fit better in the Bierblad than on Thailandblog.