Ex-Heineken exec launches beer

A former Heineken director has set up his own drinks company and launched a fruit and berry-blended beer with the aim of appealing to new consumers who “don’t like the taste of normal beer.” 

John Hunt, previously Heineken’s executive director of global strategy, has set up the Greyhound Drinks Company in Edinburgh and is set to launch Dunesurfer Original Desert Beer this week.

Dunesurfer, a 2% abv brew, is blended with exotic fruits, berries, botanicals and minerals — taking its inspiration from flavoured desert beers.

Speaking of the launch, Hunt said: “In most European markets global drinks companies are facing a long-term trend in falling volumes, especially in established mainstream brands.

“Growth is being driven by innovation but is often retro and evermore inward-looking – reinforcing the boundaries of existing categories such as premium, flavoured, less alcohol, low gluten.”

“With Dunesurfer I wanted to create a ‘new-wave’ beer, an innovative beer with attitude, a genuine cross-over adult drink that can break free of narrow drinks categories and appeal to existing beer drinkers and new consumers who don’t like the taste of normal beer or just find it boring.”

The launch is being backed by appearances at sporting and music festivals across the UK in the coming months, with a view to export with more variants and packaging formats in the near future.