HEINEKEN Slovensko during the COVID-19 pandemic

By Rene Kruijt | Heineken Slovakia

The pandemic hit everybody suddenly and hard, not just HEINEKEN Slovensko. From one day to the next, we found ourselves in a rapidly changing environment and it was difficult to predict what was going to happen next. A real crisis.

AT HEINEKEN Slovakia, the safety, health and wellbeing of all our employees is our Number 1 priority. An internal crisis team was set up in February 2020, to monitor the situation in neighbouring countries as well as in Slovakia and at our company on a daily basis. The necessary measures were put in place at each stage, in accordance with the regulations and recommendations of the Public Health Authority in Slovakia. We started providing information about the rules and are still providing this information today to around 600 employees working at various jobs and professions across Slovakia.

HEINEKEN Slovakia operates at the forefront of the market in two key sales segments: Retail and HORECA. And it is HORECA that has been the sector most affected by the pandemic. During the first wave, the segment recorded a 95% fall in sales, as measures and closures have remained in place for several months.

It became evident that we had to act fast, to focus on effective solutions in order to support our own teams, and to support our business partners.

We prepared a series of solutions including economic and commercial measures, consultation with experts on legal issues and technical support, as well as promoting new online education opportunities. Invoice due date deadlines were extended and we organized clearance sales for products in stock. We offered complete services to our sales and corporate representatives to answer questions about legislation or technical issues. Measures included providing 1.5-litre PET bottles for operations to sell off stocks from tapped barrels and tanks. We offered online communication via our Horeca Academy educational and information portal.

HEINEKEN Slovakia also supported the birth of “Support Your Pub” (Podpor svoj Pub), an initiative led by the Slovak Beer and Malt Association, of which it is a member. We were helped by fans and beer enthusiasts, who purchased vouchers for future consumption at their favourite establishments to help them get through these difficult times.

When the second wave struck, we stood behind our HORECA partners and relaunched a range of solutions including economic and commercial measures. It included support through the Slovak Association of Beer and Malt Producers for #stalemamechut, an initiative emphasizing the 75% drop in the sector’s sales. Along with its associated sectors, more than 94,000 people are employed in more than 12,000 small businesses. This initiative not only maps the current situation and the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the restaurant and hotel sector, but also offers a series of solutions.

Now teraces are open and the situation looks like it will become more managable for both us and our business partners.

I would like to make a toast to the health of all Slovak beer consumers – NA ZDRAVIE!