Efes Kazakhstan: To Be the First in Everything!
Competent marketing strategy, close-knit team and highly efficient distribution system of Efes Kazakhstan provided for further growth and consolidation of the Company’s leadership position at the domestic beer market. Being one of the largest investors in the Kazakh FMCG sector it also takes an active position in the corporate social responsibility.
According to the data of AC Nielsen, following the results of January–September, 2013 the share of Efes Kazakhstan has made up to 58% which is 2.5% higher of the last year rate. The Company’s key brands “Bely Medved”, “Kruzhka svezhego” and “Karagandinskoe” continue remaining the market leaders occupying the top three places as per share. At the beginning of the year Efes Kazakhstan integrated successfully the SABMiller brands (this company has been the strategic partner of the Company since 2011) including Miller Genuine Draught, Velkopopovicky Kozel, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquelle and Peroni Nastro Azzuro. This allowed creating a significantly greater variety of products in premium segment and increasing attractiveness of Efes Kazakhstan portfolio at the market.
“Zhigulevskoe” is worth to be noted separately – the brand popularity of which is growing throughout the whole territory of the former Soviet Union area. This year, alongside with “Zhigulevskoe Razlivnoe” the Company has diversified the product line by launching of additional taste varieties such as “Zhigulevskoe Myagky Khmel” and “Zhigulevskoe Avtorskoe Nefiltrovannoe” having a unique for the market recipe with the use of yeast of two types of high and low fermentation.
Efes Kazakhstan tries different formats meeting consumer preferences and responding to new launches. The beginning of the year has given a start for the sales of 1-liter glass bottle of “Karagandinskoe” which has almost immediately found its consumer. Another new format in a unique 0.25l bottle of two flavor variants for the “Kruzhka svezhego” brand was launched in mid-October.
In 2013 Efes Kazakhstan invested in production lines and in the market $20 million in addition to already $245 million of investments which makes the Company one of the largest investors in FMCG sector.
Developing the staff
The Company is a stable and attractive employer that provides more and more jobs, large social package and opportunities for career and professional growth.
In 2012 by the Company’s initiative the Committees on Improvement were established which included the employees from all the departments. The result of work of these Committees is bringing to life the ideas that improve the social life of the staff.
The Company pays also great attention to training of its employees; the number of training hours is growing from year to year. Thus, in 2012 over 2.300 people have taken both internal and external trainings which all together amounted for more than 20.000 training hours. In 2013 the numberof training hourshas grown up to 23.000. According to 2013 the research on investment in human capital which was held among the major international and domestic companies, our Company has entered the top three places.
A large amount of entertainment events are held for the employees and their families members in the off-duty hours. In August 2013 the workers together with families celebrated the 10th anniversary of Almaty brewery in the entertainment complex “Aul resort”.
As a result Efes Kazakhstan has a high loyalty of workers and relatively low level of turnover in comparison with the labor market of Kazakhstan, which has decreased to 6%. According to the survey conducted in 2013 the employees’ engagement rate has reached up 69% which is an outstanding performance for a commercial entity.
In the framework of sustainable development policy the Company improves technological processes in order to increase environmental compatibility and utilization efficiency of energy sources. “Efes” Almaty brewery is the regional leader in the field of environmental protection. The modern facilities and equipment for aerobic and anaerobic waste water treatment are installed here. Considerable funds are allocated for landscaping and planting of greenery at the brewery.
Realizing its responsibility to the society, Efes Kazakhstan implements global social initiatives. Thus, the Company strives to expand the knowledge of the Kazakh consumers on culture and responsible consumption of beer through the campaign “Moderation is the key” placing the relevant posters along the streets. In 2013 in the framework of the campaign in some night clubs we handed out to the visitors for free mini-alcohol detectors using which anyone can determine the level of alcohol in his body.
Another CSR program is conducted under the slogan: “No drunk driving”. As a part of it in some restaurants and bars of Almaty we organized free service “Efes Sober Driver” so that the visitors could return home by their cars without any risk of becoming an originator or a victim of a road traffic accident.
Efes Kazakhstan encourages outlets to meet the Law and not to sell alcoholic beverages to under-ages as well as reminds them about the responsibility for such violations. Nation-wide campaign “Against the sale of alcohol products to the persons under 21” covers more than 10,000 outlets where the volunteers explain to salesmen the provisions of the law and paste “21+” stickers and posters.
The Company provides constant financial assistance to representatives of vulnerable groups in the society: orphan homes, societies for disabled, children of needy families, veterans and pensioners.
In June 2013 due to sponsor support of the Company on the territory of Rehabilitation Center of the Association of Parents of Disabled Children there was opened the aqua zone “Aquatoria” which will help to significantly improve health of children and their psychological well-being.
Efes Kazakhstan actively sponsors the events of ecological orientation too. In cooperation with the nursery of birds of prey “Sunkar” and the Institute of Zoology the Company realized the project “Make your contribution. Save the nature” aimed at preservation of golden eagle population in Kazakhstan. Within the program that started in 2012, 8 young gold eagles were grown up and set free into wild nature. In the program “Purity, the Almaty way” the Company sponsored the conducting of the contest for the best yard-keeper in Almaty intended to enhance the activity of managing and service providing housing organizations as well as to involve the residents to the work on improvements, to form the population’s environmental friendliness and to increase culture level of townspeople. Another present of Efes Kazakhstan to Almaty people has become the well-maintained recreation area in the “Medeu” park where pavilions, benches, a children complex and a carousel as well as rubbish bins were set.
In 2013 in cooperation with the Akimat of the district named after Kazybek of Karagandy city the Company started the project on the improvements of the places of street trade. The goal of the project was to improve the exterior of Karaganda, normalization of street trade and increase of trade culture as well as maintain support for vulnerable segments of population by providing them with a real opportunity to earn money.
Besides, this summer in Karaganda the city the Company held the contest for “The Best Landscaped Business Entity” aimed at encouraging the entrepreneurs to invest money in improvements of their facilities and territories.
There in Karaganda the Company has supported the contest of business ideas “Atameken Star-up” which was realized in cooperation with the Kazakh National Economic Chamber “Atameken” in order to encourage youth entrepreneurship. The teams which took first three places received substantial money prizes for development of their business-projects.
As the result, this year Efes Kazakhstan for its projects in the sphere of Corporate Social Responsibility has become the winner in the category “Organization of the Year” in the Annual National Public Award in the field of charity “Altyn Zhurek”.
Efes Kazakhstan is very proud of its achievements and is looking into the future with confidence, investing in sustainable growth and the increase of market share. The Company’s plans show that it has come to Kazakhstan seriously and for the long time and has the strategic intention to develop its business here. For the state and people of Kazakhstan it will mean new jobs and additional payments to the budget. All this together will strengthen the leadership position and push Efes Kazakhstan closer to its strategic goal – to become the most admired beer company in Kazakhstan.
