It’s More Than what’s In the Glass, says Pedro Earp, CMO, AB InBev

AB InBev dreamsto bring people together for a better world. And what would be a better way to achieve this than by having conversations over a pint of beer! With centuries of brewing history, the company has seen countless new friendships, connections, and experiences built on a shared love of beer. It believes in celebrating life. Millions of customers enjoy its products every day, and the company strives to make sure every experience with beer is positive. AB InBev, a beer brewing company is also committed to improving the communities it is a part of and playing a positive role within them. Sustainability isn’t just related to its business, it is its business.

Beer and Brewing

Crafting a delicious beer is half art, half science. It takes meticulously sourced ingredients to brew the complex and sophisticated flavors of one’s favorite beers. Brewing the best beer requires the highest quality ingredients and a devotion to perfection.That’s where the company’s brewmasters shine. They preserve time-honored recipes and invent new favorites. This devotion allows the company to brew beers that are loved around the world and it’s why it will continue to brew for generations to come.

Leveraging Technology to Better Engage with Consumers

AB InBev’s dedicated research labs and technology centers across the globe are driving innovation and helping to ensure that it stays ahead of the curve. The company is scaling its existing capabilities in data, analytics, automation, and AI, and exploring emerging technologies such as blockchain and VR.These new capabilities are providing the company with unprecedented insight into the needs of its consumers and customers, helping it to create new occasions and experiences, and supporting the growth of the beer category.

Innovation touches every facet of its business. It drives its commercial strategy, supply chain, people team processes, and the way it recruits future talent, and also helps it build a sustainable business to improve lives in communities around the world. ZX Ventures is its global growth and innovation team. Launched in 2015, their goal is to develop new products and businesses that address emerging consumer needs.They seed, launch, and even scale new products that deliver exceptional customer experiences from at home devices that let consumers customize their own beverages, to services that step-change convenience, to rethinking delivery and more.

Striving towards a better world

Smart Drinking: AB InBev is not just a beer-brewing company; it also works to make a tangible contribution towards smart drinking goal. It launched its Global Smart Drinking Goals, a set of programs and initiatives focused on shifting social norms, consumer behaviors, and its own business practices in order to promote healthy drinking culture and strive to reduce the harmful use of alcohol globally. The decision whether to drink and, if so, how much to drink is a personal one. One should consult with his/her doctor or primary health care provider who can help to understand his/her personal risk profile and whether drinking in moderation can be consistent with a personal health plan.

Developed alongside public health officials, these goals reflect its belief in evidence-based solutions. They are independent, rigorous, and transparent measurement and evaluation are keys to progress. Its goals are also designed to be collaborative and evolving.

Road Safety: Reducing road safety risks is one of the company’s top priorities. It has partnered with local authorities, academia, and NGOs to develop a comprehensive approach to road safety. Through its local road safety initiatives,it has helped build data systems that allow local government to manage road safety strategically and efficiently.

By 2020, it is the company’s hope to cut the number of global fatalities and injuries in half in the cities where the company is working. By working with governments, law enforcement, public safety organizations, academia, other companies, civil society, and the UN, it hopes that its joint actions will help achieve the global 2020 SDG target.

Meet the innovative thinker

Pedro Earp, Chief Marketing and ZX Ventures Officer: As of January 2019, the company is bringing together Marketing and ZX Ventures under one global lead, Pedro Earp. By pairing its industry-leading marketing capabilities with the innovative approach of ZX Ventures, Pedro will build on the success of its global brands and help it anticipate consumer trends. Creating a common global lead for both organizations means it can share best practices across to bring together the best of both.

“We’re building a company to last — brewing beer and building brands that will continue to bring people together for the next 100 years and beyond.”