Magazine: They dare to innovate

Tibor Őz
sales director
Borsodi Sörgyár

According to the Association of Hungarian Brewers (MSSZ), members sold 2 percent more beer in 2017 than in 2016. Sales of cheap beers kept decreasing and mainstream beer sales grew by more than 10 percent. Borsodi Sörgyár Kft.’s sales director Tibor Őz told our magazine that they had an excellent year.

András Palkó
marketing and trade marketing director
Heineken Hungária

András Palkó, marketing and trade marketing director of Heineken Hungária Zrt. reckons that people aren’t simply buying more beer, they started buying higher-category products.

Nemes József
tulajdonos
Vacer Trade

Vacer Trade Kft.’s owner József Nemes told Trade magazin that two new flavoured products will be launched in 2018, a brown beer-like caramel-lemon and a wheat beer-type raspberry. Last year a 0.0-percent the fruit and beer-flavoured Sunny Radler soft drink came out, which created a new category in the Hungarian market. 

Schillinger Attila
igazgató
Magyar Sörgyártók Szövetsége

MSSZ director Attila Schillinger informed us that lager is the biggest hit these days. This is well-indicated by the fact that sales of medium-category beers grew by two-digit numbers. Demand for alcohol-free beer jumped 25 percent. There are many new innovations available in shops, such as IPA – consumers are open to trying new products.

Heineken’s view is that consumers not only like but actually want new innovations from brewing companies. The company’s top-fermented Óvatos Duhaj IPA (India Pale Ale) was an instant success among beer lovers and won an international prize too. In addition to Krušovice and Edelweiss, Heineken also started distributing Mort Subite Kriek and Affligem, plus Italian lager Birra Moretti. Last year brought the debut of Heineken 0.0 too, an alcohol-free product. Borsodi Sörgyár Kft. added Borsodi Tüzes, Borsodi Jeges and Borsodi Nitro to the portfolio last year – the latter is Hungary’s first nitrogen-enhanced draught beer. The brewing company is the Hungarian distributor of unfiltered, raspberry-flavoured wheat beer Hoegaarden Rose. Borsodi Friss fruit-flavoured beers are available in both alcohol and no-alcohol versions.

Statistical data from MSSZ show that draught beer consumption is decreasing a little. The association will do everything to turn this trend around, as the majority of draught beers are made in Hungary, plus they would also like to improve the positions of bars and restaurants with this. MSSZ wants to convince the government to cut the VAT on draught beer. Experts agreed that a glass of fresh draught beer gives the best taste experience, so this beer type must definitely be popularised. MSSZ has revealed that one of the global trends is the growing popularity of low-alcohol and no-alcohol beers. More and more places sell gluten-free beer too. Mr Schillinger predicts the strengthening of the IPA segment and the spreading of lightly-hopped, fruit-fragranced American Pale Ales.

Borsodi Brewery is celebrating its 45th birthday in 2018. KEG-packaged Borsodi Mester has been created by master brewer András Németh for this occasion. Borsodi Mester is made using two hop varieties and two types of malt. This high-quality beer has a special taste and 5-percent abv alcohol content. Mr Németh will personally take part in promoting this year’s flagship product. His expertise and knowledge communicate the traditions and the quality of the brewing company to consumers.

2017 was the year of innovation at HEINEKEN Hungária and they don’t stop this year either. Natur Zitrone’s grapefruit version is now made from a new recipe and a mango-lemon version has been put on the market. Both products are 100-percent natural and are sweetened with stevia. Soproni Klasszikus is brewed with Hungarian barley, while the Beers of Europe range welcomes a new member: cold-hopped Krušovice Ležák. //