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NEW PRODUCT:
BINTANG BEER
Quick Facts
Country of Origin: Indonesia
Style: Tropical Pilsner
Alcohol by Volume: 4.7%
Hawaii Distributor: Paradise Beverages
Bintang is making its way from Bali, Indonesia to the United States, and Hawaii is one of the first two states at which the beer will be available. According to Bintang,“Bintang exports to the United States is rather unique as it is driven by demand mainly from US coastline surfers that have travelled to Indonesia.” The product has also recently launched in the United Kingdom and Australia. Bir Bintang, to those unfamiliar with the beer, is a “Tropical Pilsner” produced by PT Multi Bintang Indonesia Tbk who, as of the filing of the 2017 Annual Financial Report, was 81.78% owned by Heineken International BV. This close relationship is represented in the Bintang company star logo which is identical to the Heineken Star. (Bintang means “star” in Indonesian.) Bintang’s introduction into the U.S market is a collaboration between Heineken Americas and U.S Beverage (USB).
Due to the high volume of production, with market share in Indonesia being as high as 50% and Bintang being the best selling beer since 1931 in Indonesia, Multi Bintang operates multiple production facilities: one in Tangerang near Jakarta and one in Sampangagung east of Java. These high volumes can be partially attributed to Bintang’s
highly affordable price point and easy drinking nature. The brand is focused on supporting and celebrating surf, travel, and the environment with initial partners and supporters including: Vans Surf, the Indonesian Consulate, Save The Waves (https://www. savethewaves.org/), Salvage Public, The Liljestrand House, and the Hawai'i Indonesia Chamber of Commerce. Currently, Bintang is amidst conversations with Sustainable Coastlines about a Summer 2019 fundraising event. Due to the beer’s surf-centric branding, Haleiwa Bottle Shop will also be carrying the product. Suggested Retail Price for Bintang beer in Hawaii is $10.99 for the six- pack; however, if there is enough local demand for the product, direct shipment of Bintang beer would become feasible, allowing the six- pack price to drop closer to the suggested $8.99 price in California.
HBG Perspective:
Bintang has a flavor profile of a pilsner? #CaptainObvious. In our opinion, it’s a beer that tastes like a beer that isn’t off putting, and is easy to drink ice cold from a can. There isn’t a lot of complexity or anything to think about when drinking this beer, but it does lend itself to South East Asian cuisine, hence it will be available at The Pig & The Lady. However, in our opinion, many
pilsners and lagers lend themselves to Southeast Asian Cuisine. Momentarily, the higher-than- preferred price point due to shipping costs make on-premise accounts a better prospective buyer of Bintang because they have greater price flexibility. As, new can be interesting combined with effective market advertising, current sales have the potential to soar. In particular we think that Bintang would work on-premise in establishment that:
• Have guests who have traveled to Indonesia and are therefore looking for something nostalgic.
• Have someone looking for
a Southeast Asian “flavors.” This pairing has more to do with branding than actual flavor.
• Push a “surf” or “beachy” vibe to promote brand recognition.
So how will Bintang fare in Hawaii? From a long-term partnership perspective, we cannot make any definitive predictions as the size and duration of Bintang’s planned campaign remains ambiguous. From a flavor perspective, the beer doesn’t jump out as being particularly innovative, nor does the cost make it a better value purchase compared to similar products already available in market. n
2 HAWAII BEVERAGE GUIDE FEBRUARY 2019
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