Heineken Announces Red Star Award Winner: Gate City Beverage

announced today that Gate City Beverage of San Bernadino, CA received the organization’s Red Star Award for its efforts in driving the success of the HEINEKEN USA portfolio at the company’s annual National Distributor Conference in Phoenix, AZ last week.

Gate City was honored for its execution that crossed portfolio lines and results that exceeded industry standards. In a year where the industry improved slightly, the Red Star Award winner grew the HEINEKEN USA business 8.6 percent in 2012, with significant performance across the portfolio. Dutch portfolio brands, including Heineken and Heineken Light, were up 3.2 percent, while Mexican brands, including Dos Equis and Tecate, were up 11.8 percent.

Gate City Beverage Distributors display conversion was one of the highest results in the country and greater than competitive brands in the market, with more than 6 percent growth on both Heineken and Dos Equis. They also led their zone with over 2,000 points of innovation distribution in small format. In line with HEINEKEN USA’s on-premise strategy, Gate City grew distribution by 40% and exceeded top bottle distribution goals Heineken, Dos Equis, and Luxury Light.

“The Red Star Award is our highest honor, celebrating our distributor partners who execute flawlessly to deliver results,” said Scott Blazek, Senior Vice President, Sales, HEINEKEN USA. “With their relentless focus on constant improvement, Gate City Beverage in San Bernadino exceeded expectations, and we’re fortunate to have a team strategically aligned to our vision.”

“It’s a tremendous honor to receive this award from our great partners at HEINEKEN USA. They not only provide us with an exceptional portfolio of products but they back it up with insightful consumer research, impactful marketing and great people who support us in our market,” said Mark Smith, Gate City Beverage Distributors, General Manager.

“We are very proud of Mark Smith and the entire Gate City Beverage team. Heineken USA’s recognition of their leadership and execution with the coveted Red Star Award reinforces an even greater spirit of competition amongst Reyes Beverage Group to continue to deliver at the highest levels for HUSA in 2013,” said Tom Reyes, President of Reyes Beverage Group’s Gate City Distributing.

In addition to the Red Star Award, Heineken recognized the performance of distributors across its portfolio with Star Performer Awards for their efforts in accelerating volume growth and distribution of the company’s Mexican, Dutch and English brands. The honorees were evaluated for their performance against distributors of a similar size.

The Star Performer Award winners for the Dutch Portfolio (Heineken, Heineken Light and Amstel Light) included Horizon Beverage Company, Wilson-McGinley and Sound Beverage Distributors, and for the Mexican Portfolio (Dos Equis, Tecate, Sol, Bohemia and Carta Blanca), Andrews Distributing Company of North Texas, Keg 1 Permian Basin and Gulf Distributing of Mobile. Newcastle Brown Ale winners included Gate City Distributing (LA), Columbia Distributing (Kent) and Columbia Distributing (Everett).
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