AMSTERDAM -- Heineken's newest beer is embracing an often-forgotten corner of the category and giving it a premium twist.
The brewer is bringing its new nonalcohol Heineken 0.0 to 14 international markets, beginning with a Formula 1 racing sponsorship that first brought the new drink to consumers via an integrated marketing program showcasing the campaign tagline "Open to all." (See video below.)
There are currently no plans to launch 0.0 in the United States, the company said.
Heineken 0.0 is a nonalcohol lager "brewed with a unique recipe for a distinct, balanced taste," according to the company. The drink has 69 calories per 12-ounce bottle.
And Heineken 0.0 isn't just Heineken with the alcohol removed, according to the company. Instead, the company's brewmasters started from scratch to create a new zero-alcohol beer "using only natural ingredients, resulting in a beer brewed for beer lovers, by beer lovers."
"Removing alcohol from regular 5% Heineken would have been easy, but it wouldn't deliver the best tasting nonalcoholic beer," said Willem van Waesberghe, global craft and brew master at Heineken. "Heineken 0.0 is brewed from scratch and has a perfectly balanced taste with refreshing fruity notes and soft malty body."
Initially available in 14 markets in 2017, Heineken's green label has been turned blue on 0.0, the color associated with the alcohol-free category. The integrated launch campaign includes a TV commercial, digital and experiential activations, plus on- and off-premise promotions.
"The zero-alcohol segment in Europe and Russia grew with a 5% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) between 2010 to 2015," said Gianluca Di Tondo, Heineken's senior global brand director. "We expect this strong growth to continue, driven by good innovation on taste, as it already has in Spain, Germany and Austria. Our ambition is to lead the category development in the markets where nonalcoholic beer is still small but has growth potential with a premium proposition."
Heineken used its partnership with Formula 1 to give Heineken 0.0 a highly visible launch platform at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona on May 14. Alongside the Grand Prix activation, the integrated "Open to all" marketing campaign touts the inclusiveness of Heineken 0.0 to all people, moments and drinking occasions that might call for a beer but not for alcohol.
Heineken 0.0 is available in 12-ounce bottles and cans, four-packs, six-packs and 16-ounce cans, depending on the market.
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