Dutch beer brewing giant Heineken has informed hospitality businesses that their beer and cider prices are set to rise by January 1. Just in time for our New Year’s resolutions!
After a previous price increase of 3.4% in January 2022 and 5.8% in August, Heineken will raise the prices of beer and cider once again, by an average of 10.7%.
Un-beer-able costs
The Dutch love a lekker biertje, so why make it more expensive, Heineken?
Well, we’re sure you guessed it… inflation. Worldwide, prices are rising sharply in all industries, which also applies to beer brewing. 📈
Why is Heineken so expensive in Holland when it's made here ?
— Brian Hovington (@BRI_HOV) October 14, 2022
€6.5 for 0.5L……imagine going into a pub in the UK and being charged over a fiver for a pint of Carling pic.twitter.com/1H9t5Vf2iu
In a letter to horeca entrepreneurs, Heineken states: “Whether it’s transportation, raw materials like malt and hops or packaging materials like cardboard and aluminium; prices skyrocket when it comes to brewing, packaging and transporting our beers.”
The word horeca is a syllabic abbreviation of the words hotel, restaurant and catering and refers to the hospitality industry.
While not all costs are passed onto the consumer, Heineken cannot avoid giving some of them to the hospitality industry.
As De Telegraaf writes, it is unclear whether Heineken will also increase the cost of their refreshments at supermarkets and other stores.
How about the competitors?
While Swinkels Family Brewers, the parent company of Bavaria, claims that a price increase is not an issue for them, other Dutch breweries have also announced price increases.
READ MORE | Is Dutch beer the best in Europe? The Netherlands is the top exporter, once again
Last week, Grolsch announced that prices for hospitality customers would go up by 6.8% in the coming January.
And the Koninklijke Horeca Nederland (KHN) points out that more such price increases, while not announced yet, are certainly on their way. 😳
The catering industry is not amused
While Heineken’s struggle with inflation is understandable, they are not the only ones having to adjust to rising prices, and owners of horeca businesses are shocked at Heineken’s news.
READ MORE | Crisis in HORECA: Dutch restaurants forced to recruit cooks from abroad
The Dutch catering industry is already struggling with a number of obstacles. From the rising cost of energy, rent, and staff, to corona debts, employee shortages, and declining consumer confidence — the rise in beer prices is not appreciated.
The KHN has entered into contact with the Vereniging Nederlandse Brouwers (Union of Dutch Brewers) to express its dissatisfaction and ask for clarification… Let’s drink to that? 😬🍻
Will you still be drinking Heineken after the price increase? Let us know what you think in the comments!