HCF News Q1 2025
our history, our future
January – april 2025
thought leadership & inspiration
We are the single source of HEINEKEN (hi)story telling
Strategic Plan 2025-2027
Our new strategic plan, For-EverGreen, builds on past successes while embracing innovation and growth. It centres around three key pillars:
- Thought Leadership and Inspiration: Crafting compelling, EverGreen-focused narratives that share the collection’s stories with the world.
- Connected Collection: Advancing the digitisation of our collection and leveraging new platforms to make it more accessible and interactive.
- Future-proof Collection Management: Ensuring sustainable storage, meticulous conservation, and efficient resource use to safeguard the collection for generations to come.
Below is our ‘Strategy on a Page,’ outlining the projects on which we will provide updates per pillar going forward.
q1 team meeting
In January, our team met at the Heineken Gebouw Rotterdam to plan this year’s projects. This former Heineken® brewery has been turned into a stunning venue with ‘State-of-the-art meeting rooms, with nostalgia as the main ingredient.’ Our team provided historical artefacts and the corresponding storylines to decorate the differently themed rooms, so our visit also meant we could check the latest additions and see them on display.
The HEINEKEN Series
In the previous strategic period, we initiated the HEINEKEN Series, a photography project designed to document developments within
HEINEKEN from a new perspective.
For this project we collaborated with Magnum, an agency recognised globally for documenting major world events and personalities since the 1930s. The initial three editions of the project, called ‘Brew Roots’, aimed to document European heritage breweries within HEINEKEN’s
portfolio that were closing or at risk of closure. British photographer Mark Power captured Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland and French photographer Jérôme Sessini photographed L’Esperance in
Schiltigheim, France. Both photographers beautifully captured the essence of these historical sites, and their photos are a valuable addition to the Heineken Collection.
The final shoot in the ‘Brew Roots’ trilogy is scheduled for the last week in April, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The chosen photographer, Lorenzo Meloni, is Italian and renowned for his evocative imagery that explores the relationship between humans and technology.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the first edition of a new trilogy, which will explore bar culture worldwide. The inaugural edition, ‘The HEINEKEN Series x Amsterdam 750,’ will delve into Amsterdam’s bar culture, highlighting HEINEKEN’s influence on the city’s iconic bar and pub scene. This exciting project is a collaboration with Heineken Netherlands and Amsterdam 750, celebrating Amsterdam’s rich heritage and vibrant social landscape.
Below image slider shows some of the shots taken at the Schiltigheim brewery in France.
Visits to the collection
We hosted the Integrated Design team from Heineken Group and the Bulletproof agency to give them an impression of the history of Heineken® design and off-trade advertising.
We showed a group of new colleagues from the Heineken Experience around the depot and exhibition as part of their onboarding programme. The new advertising agency team from Heineken USA also visited our depot and exibition during their visit in Amsterdam.
We organised a bespoke tour for the Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands, with Joanna Price and Guus Vermeulen (Global Corporate Affairs) and an introductory tour for 10 new Corporate Affairs Directors.
A group of residents from De Pijp visited us for a talk about the history of Heineken® in De Pijp and a tour of our depot, exhibition and roof terrace.
Another request for a custom tour came from the Global Heineken Communication team. This session focused on Heineken Communication throughout the ages, specifically on ads that revolve around socialising and bars.
Our team welcomed colleagues from the South Cone Export Region and the brewery in Ecuador for an Amstel inspired visit to the collection. Amstel is brewed in Ecuador since 2023 and the goal was to get more feeling with the brand’s history and get inspired for future activations and campaigns.
The HEINEKEN Series
In the previous strategic period, we initiated the HEINEKEN Series, a photography project designed to document developments within
HEINEKEN from a new perspective.
For this project we collaborated with Magnum, an agency recognised globally for documenting major world events and personalities since the 1930s. The initial three editions of the project, called ‘Brew Roots’, aimed to document European heritage breweries within HEINEKEN’s
portfolio that were closing or at risk of closure. British photographer Mark Power captured Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, Scotland and French photographer Jérôme Sessini photographed L’Esperance in
Schiltigheim, France. Both photographers beautifully captured the essence of these historical sites, and their photos are a valuable addition to the Heineken Collection.
The final shoot in the ‘Brew Roots’ trilogy is scheduled for the last week in April, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The chosen photographer, Lorenzo Meloni, is Italian and renowned for his evocative imagery that explores the relationship between humans and technology.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway for the first edition of a new trilogy, which will explore bar culture worldwide. The inaugural edition, ‘The HEINEKEN Series x Amsterdam 750,’ will delve into Amsterdam’s bar culture, highlighting HEINEKEN’s influence on the city’s iconic bar and pub scene. This exciting project is a collaboration with Heineken Netherlands and Amsterdam 750, celebrating Amsterdam’s rich heritage and vibrant social landscape.
Below image slider shows some of the shots taken at the Schiltigheim brewery in France.
Visits to the collection
We hosted the Integrated Design team from Heineken Group and the Bulletproof agency to give them an impression of the history of Heineken® design and off-trade advertising.
We showed a group of new colleagues from the Heineken Experience around the depot and exhibition as part of their onboarding programme. The new advertising agency team from Heineken USA also visited our depot and exibition during their visit in Amsterdam.
We organised a bespoke tour for the Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands, with Joanna Price and Guus Vermeulen (Global Corporate Affairs) and an introductory tour for 10 new Corporate Affairs Directors.
A group of residents from De Pijp visited us for a talk about the history of Heineken® in De Pijp and a tour of our depot, exhibition and roof terrace.
Another request for a custom tour came from the Global Heineken Communication team. This session focused on Heineken Communication throughout the ages, specifically on ads that revolve around socialising and bars.
Our team welcomed colleagues from the South Cone Export Region and the brewery in Ecuador for an Amstel inspired visit to the collection. Amstel is brewed in Ecuador since 2023 and the goal was to get more feeling with the brand’s history and get inspired for future activations and campaigns.
Women in HEINEKEN
This research project aims to document women’s roles within HEINEKEN over its 160-year history. It will create a timeline of key milestones, and highlight the contributions of women across various regions and markets.
During the research we came up with three pillars:
- Women wrote the first beer recipe, brewed it and sold it
- Women kept Heineken in the family
- Women play a vital role in the brewing craft
These pillars resulted in 3 short videos which are currently in the production phase.
Amsterdam 750
The HCF has contributed to the book ‘Onze Lieve Stad’ by Dutch journalist Jan Uriot. In this book, Jan Uriot presents a captivating journey through the history of Amsterdam, engaging with historians, entrepreneurs, artists, and residents who know the city in all its facets. Uriot’s interview with Demelza highlights the social role of the Heineken® brewery in Amsterdam, shedding light on how our brewery has influenced the city’s development and its vibrant community. ‘Onze Lieve Stad’ brings the stories of Amsterdam to life, and we are happy to be part of this celebration of the city’s rich heritage.
Women in HEINEKEN
This research project aims to document women’s roles within HEINEKEN over its 160-year history. It will create a timeline of key milestones, and highlight the contributions of women across various regions and markets.
During the research we came up with three pillars:
- Women wrote the first beer recipe, brewed it and sold it
- Women kept Heineken in the family
- Women play a vital role in the brewing craft
These pillars resulted in 3 short videos which are currently in the production phase.
Amsterdam 750
The HCF has contributed to the book ‘Onze Lieve Stad’ by Dutch journalist Jan Uriot. In this book, Jan Uriot presents a captivating journey through the history of Amsterdam, engaging with historians, entrepreneurs, artists, and residents who know the city in all its facets. Uriot’s interview with Demelza highlights the social role of the Heineken® brewery in Amsterdam, shedding light on how our brewery has influenced the city’s development and its vibrant community. ‘Onze Lieve Stad’ brings the stories of Amsterdam to life, and we are happy to be part of this celebration of the city’s rich heritage.
Green Giants
The final shoot of our oral history project ‘Green Giants’ was in December last year. We published 2 episodes already this year and have another 2 scheduled for April and May, making a total of 12 episodes for the whole series.
We are currently finalising the edits of episode 12, and then we will focus on our new project ‘For-EverGreen Day’. More on this in the next quarterly update!
The first episode of 2025 was another big one. Our CFO, Harold van den Broek, met with former Chairman of the Executive Board, Karel Vuursteen. We are espacially grateful we captured this conversation, as a short 2 months after the shoot, Mr Vuursteen passed away. He will forever be a Green Giant!
Episode 10 features 2 female powerhouses. Ethel & Door had been on our wishlist for quite some time, so we are very happy to see the engagement around this episode’s launch.
Below are short edits from the recently published conversations.
All episodes can be found on the HCF website.
collection management
Minimising risk, maximising potential
registration & Aquisitions
We added 129 records to our database this quarter. Notable acquisitions include a miniature Tiger lager tank from 1994 and a wooden box with a hydrometer from the early 20th century, likely from the demolished Heineken® brewery in Rotterdam.
A retired gold/silversmith donated moulds of silver crown corks he created for the brewery in Den Bosch at the beginning of the 1980s.
We acquired a splendid wooden Heineken® advertising panel from 1961, portraying Ger Dorant’s ‘Obertje’. It was offered to the Collection by someone who found it in their attic. The panel is an intriguing addition to our collection, prompting us to reassess the design dates in our catalogue.
In January, the beer truck designed by Ger Dorant in 1977 was moved by tractor from Boskoop’s Stable Department to Zoeterwoude’s European Conservation Center.
AV updates
Our AV team has been busy cataloguing and preserving numerous historical audio and visual materials. These efforts ensure that our rich heritage of multimedia content remains accessible for future generations.
We’ve added 27 digital files of current titles to TMS, and started digitising U-matic videotapes in Hilversum. These tapes have revealed company films on Safety and Quality from 1988-1995. Although they suffer from ‘sticky shed’ syndrome, our digitising partner’s “baking” process aims to restore them. We’ll share an update on the baking process in our next edition of Heineken Collection News!
Stables
We’ve been busy cleaning old Heineken® and Amstel® tack for photography and registration, which is nearly complete. The HEINEKEN Stables Manager is creating a museum exhibit with stable objects from Heineken, Amstel, and Brand, many of which are being registered as part of the Heineken Collection.
PROACTIVE CONSERVATION
Proactive or preventive conservation is of vital importance because it ensures the long-term preservation and integrity of our collection items. We invest time and resources in the implementation of our CER
(Collection Emergency Response) plan, by integrating it into the
Heineken Eperience ERO-training and regularly updating the materials.
Together with Heijmans and Heineken Group Facilities, we’ve kicked off a project that aims to improve the climate of our Amsterdam depot. We discovered that both temperature and humidity levels have been inconsistent, risking object preservation. All parties are commited to finding a sustainable solution and we are optimistic about the upcoming improvements.
A local leather restorer looked into the possibilities of restoring a Neo-Georgian chair from 1900, and a red Amstel chair. Unfortunately the stains remain.
All textiles in our collection were thoroughly inspected for moths. As a precaution, a flag displaying evidence of previous moth activity was placed in a freezer to eliminate potential risks.
registration & Aquisitions
We added 129 records to our database this quarter. Notable acquisitions include a miniature Tiger lager tank from 1994 and a wooden box with a hydrometer from the early 20th century, likely from the demolished Heineken® brewery in Rotterdam.
A retired gold/silversmith donated moulds of silver crown corks he created for the brewery in Den Bosch at the beginning of the 1980s.
We acquired a splendid wooden Heineken® advertising panel from 1961, portraying Ger Dorant’s ‘Obertje’. It was offered to the Collection by someone who found it in their attic. The panel is an intriguing addition to our collection, prompting us to reassess the design dates in our catalogue.
In January, the beer truck designed by Ger Dorant in 1977 was moved by tractor from Boskoop’s Stable Department to Zoeterwoude’s European Conservation Center.
AV updates
Our AV team has been busy cataloguing and preserving numerous historical audio and visual materials. These efforts ensure that our rich heritage of multimedia content remains accessible for future generations.
We’ve added 27 digital files of current titles to TMS, and started digitising U-matic videotapes in Hilversum. These tapes have revealed company films on Safety and Quality from 1988-1995. Although they suffer from ‘sticky shed’ syndrome, our digitising partner’s “baking” process aims to restore them. We’ll share an update on the baking process in our next edition of Heineken Collection News!
Stables
We’ve been busy cleaning old Heineken® and Amstel® tack for photography and registration, which is nearly complete. The HEINEKEN Stables Manager is creating a museum exhibit with stable objects from Heineken, Amstel, and Brand, many of which are being registered as part of the Heineken Collection.
PROACTIVE CONSERVATION
Proactive or preventive conservation is of vital importance because it ensures the long-term preservation and integrity of our collection items. We invest time and resources in the implementation of our CER
(Collection Emergency Response) plan, by integrating it into the
Heineken Eperience ERO-training and regularly updating the materials.
Together with Heijmans and Heineken Group Facilities, we’ve kicked off a project that aims to improve the climate of our Amsterdam depot. We discovered that both temperature and humidity levels have been inconsistent, risking object preservation. All parties are commited to finding a sustainable solution and we are optimistic about the upcoming improvements.
A local leather restorer looked into the possibilities of restoring a Neo-Georgian chair from 1900, and a red Amstel chair. Unfortunately the stains remain.
All textiles in our collection were thoroughly inspected for moths. As a precaution, a flag displaying evidence of previous moth activity was placed in a freezer to eliminate potential risks.
Archive Revive
In the previous strategic period, the HCF committed itself to advocating for a safe and sustainable solution for the orphaned archives within HEINEKEN. During this strategic period, we continue to maintain our coordinating role in Archive Revive, overseeing the processing of all
remaining archives from HEINEKEN’s operating companies in the Netherlands.
The Archive Revive project has processed 35% of the archives to date. With the Zoeterwoude office set to permanently close on June 1st, we are exploring new sites to relocate both the archives and the team. Despite these changes, the project remains on track, achieving key milestones as planned.
Beer Buoyer
The future of the Beer Buoyer (Bierboeier), part of the Heineken® fleet, is being discussed due to upcoming bans on gasoline in Amsterdam’s waters. Switching to an electric motor is costly and not budgeted. The current ‘doorvaart vignet‘ has been renewed, allowing access until late 2028.
We’re also considering its participation at Sail in August 2025. The Beer Buoyer has been at Sail since its origins, and Heineken Netherlands is excited about the idea of having it return once more.
Archive Revive
In the previous strategic period, the HCF committed itself to advocating for a safe and sustainable solution for the orphaned archives within HEINEKEN. During this strategic period, we continue to maintain our coordinating role in Archive Revive, overseeing the processing of all
remaining archives from HEINEKEN’s operating companies in the Netherlands.
The Archive Revive project has processed 35% of the archives to date. With the Zoeterwoude office set to permanently close on June 1st, we are exploring new sites to relocate both the archives and the team. Despite these changes, the project remains on track, achieving key milestones as planned.
Beer Buoyer
The future of the Beer Buoyer (Bierboeier), part of the Heineken® fleet, is being discussed due to upcoming bans on gasoline in Amsterdam’s waters. Switching to an electric motor is costly and not budgeted. The current ‘doorvaart vignet‘ has been renewed, allowing access until late 2028.
We’re also considering its participation at Sail in August 2025. The Beer Buoyer has been at Sail since its origins, and Heineken Netherlands is excited about the idea of having it return once more.
connected collection
Exploring the full potential of our data
Upgrading our databases
The past weeks our team has been mapping all digital records from our database, The Museum System (TMS), to the new version; Nexus. The migration is almost completed, which means starting in April, we will start using the new system and begin working with Linked data.
