Serving up Transparency: Being Proactive with Consumers

What today’s consumers want to know extends well beyond a food or beverage product’s characteristics alone. In this digital era, transparency is not only the new norm, it’s expected, and that sentiment is felt most in the food & beverage industry. With customers increasingly becoming connoisseurs, it’s important for companies to make the transparency of what’s in their products known and accessible, the production process and origin, so consumers can stay informed.

As Heineken USA's Director of Quality and Innovation, I’ll highlight the Brewers’ Voluntary Disclosure Initiative by the Beer Institute, a massive shift by the industry toward a more transparent and open paradigm for our typical consumer. By providing the right information, consumers will have more trust in the products (and their producers), which will foster loyalty, and bring them back for another round...or two. I’ll also share how key learnings overseas, such as the, commitment by The Brewers of Europe to voluntarily go beyond current EU legislative requirements for such declarations in 2015 and Heinekens’ Drink Responsibly initiatives, are helping to forge new standards for food and beverage transparency around the world.

Dr. Paul van der Aar, Director Quality & Innovation, Heineken USA