Press Release:

(Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS) – Today, HEINEKEN launches its brand new open innovation platform: www.ideasbrewery.com. The platform is introduced with a first idea challenge for sustainable beer packaging. Innovators from over the world are invited to share their ideas on the future of our sustainable beer packaging, the re-use or recycling of it, coming up with new packaging materials, or thinking of new ways to distribute or transport the packaging in a more sustainable manner. The best idea wins US$ 10.000. Ideas need to be submitted latest on May 8th 2012 and the winners will be announced in June 2012.

HEINEKEN believes that great ideas and innovative solutions can come from anywhere. They come from within an organization and from outside. That’s why HEINEKEN invites innovators to join its first open idea challenge. Register via www.ideasbrewery.com, and bring sustainable innovation in beer packaging!

The challenge
People are invited to share their sustainable ideas on the future of beer packaging for a chance to win US$10.000. Think of the following areas: 

1. Re-using and re-cycling of packaging
   How can we ensure that a larger amount of beer packaging will be re-used or recycled?
2. Discovering new packaging materials
   What kind of new material would significantly improve the lifecycle of beer packaging?
3. Transport and logistics
   What are your ideas concerning packaging to maximize transport efficiency?

Ideas will be assessed on the following criteria: innovativeness, feasibility, and number of votes from the audience. Ideas that best meet the criteria will move to a second stage where HEINEKEN innovators will work together with participants to bring the ideas to a next level.

The challenge is open to residents of the following countries:
Austria, Brazil, Canada (excl. Quebec & Yukon), China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, UK & US (excl. California).

The submission deadline is May 8th 2012 and the winner will be announced in June 2012.

48-HOUR CHALLENGE: LIVE INNOVATION WITH JANNE KYTTANEN  

The project will kick off on April 3rd 2012 at 5pm GMT, with a mini 48-hour challenge. Janne Kyttanen, Creative Director of Freedom of Creation and pioneer of 3D prototyping will be locked-up in a secret location for 48 hours. During this time, he will develop potential solutions to HEINEKEN’s Sustainability Challenge, from concept to prototype.

Quotes
“Innovation keeps our brands part of the conversation and that is why we made it a global priority.” Alexis Nasard, Chief Commercial Officer, HEINEKEN

More information about the challenge can be found at www.ideasbrewery.com.