Publicans profit from growing light lager opportunity

Publicans who have seen first-hand the impact Heineken Silver has on their sales include Seema Dhiman, owner of The Brotherhood sports bar brand, Martin Goodfellow, owner of the Greyhound in Swindon and Andy Truscott, food and beverage director at China Fleet Country Club in Cornwall.

1) Which drinks categories work the hardest for you?​

Goodfellow: “4% volume is our heartland, such as Heineken Silver, and I would imagine many pubs are the same. But we also understand that 4.5% to 5% volumes are growing in popularity.”

Truscott: “Our biggest sellers are soft drinks and draught beer. These tend to be our premium draughts such as Amstel, Heineken and Beavertown Neck Oil because people do tend to go for the big brands which they know and love.”

2) How is Heineken​ Silver selling?​

Truscott: “It has done incredibly well. I believe this is because it fits into the lifestyle at China Fleet, many of our guests are looking for a premium drink that offers a lighter taste.”

Goodfellow: “It is selling very well. When we initially added it to the bar, we ordered three or four kegs, which is an impressive volume for a new product, and our customers really like it. Lots of them, who usually wouldn’t change from their favourite lagers, are trying a pint and feel it’s lighter.”

3) Why did you decide to stock Heineken​ Silver?​

Dhiman: “We started selling Heineken Silver in May. Our guests already love Heineken, with it being one of our top-selling lagers out of the 15 offerings we have on draught. We wanted to add another lighter, easy drinking beer to our selection. Heineken Silver was the obvious choice.”

Goodfellow: We were looking to offer our customers something new, but from a recognisable and trusted brand, so that they weren’t pushed too far from their comfort zone. It is a great option for customers looking for a lighter lager.”

4) Who is buying Heineken​ Silver?​

Dhiman: “The customer mix is really varied. Most of the sales have been generated over the weekends with groups, predominantly male, staying on it as their preferred session lager. We have also seen quite a few lunch time pints going over the bar – with it being a lighter-tasting beer it has been very much the preferred liquid of choice.”

Goodfellow: “Not only are younger drinkers enjoying it, but older customers are too. It’s something customers see as sessionable, it’s crisp and easy to drink.  Our customers tend to stick to Heineken Silver if they start drinking it. For the majority of people drinking lager, often their first pint will be the same as their last.”

Sales have been fantastic so far; our team is always introducing it to our guests who have never tried it and the reaction has been great.” – Seema Dhiman

To find out more about how Heineken® Silver can help drive your bar sales, visit https://direct.heineken.co.uk/huk/en/Silver​.

[1]​ Source​​: *Innserve Bar Records (On Trade Only)  /  ** Includes SP&B outlets​

[2]​ Source​​: *Innserve Bar Records (On Trade Only)  /  ** Includes SP&B outlets​