A Reliable All-Rounder
The hospitality industry is changing, and so is going out. Nevertheless, there are things that always stay the same. Take the beer coaster: For over 100 years, it has been a trusty companion of get-togethers everywhere. And for VELTINS, it does much more than just protect surfaces from condensation.
They’re found on tables and counters and sometimes even under table legs. They can have a glass on them, or a phone number, tally marks, or even contracts every once in a while! This makes beverage coasters, also known as beer coasters, much more than just a piece of board for VELTINS. Instead, they’re part of the brewery’s brand and one of its most important ambassadors. “Restaurateurs know that a beer coaster is an essential part of the premium beer experience,” Andreas Diemel says. He’s the Head of Procurement Services at Veltins, i.e., he’s responsible for beer coaster procurement at the brewery. And he’ll tell you that a good coaster needs to perform countless functions.
A longtime partnership on equal footing (left to right: Olaf Müller, Josefine Hellermann, Andreas Diemel).
Picture: © Koehler Group
A Specialist with Soft Skills
First of all, it needs to perform its main duties, which are to absorb condensation, protect surfaces, and be sturdy enough for the hospitality industry. But its actual strength goes beyond that. “Consumers are in contact with beer coasters much longer than with virtually any other ad space,” says Josefine Hellermann, a Buyer at VELTINS.
Beer coasters are right in front of guests, and often for hours, which makes them particularly effective brand ambassadors. In fact, even if it’s hard to measure their exact impact, it’s undeniable: “Even when there’s a different product on top one of our coasters, our brand is there,” Diemel explains.
The basketball players in my area regularly practice their long shot with beer coasters or see who scores the most baskets with them.
KATZ Senior Sales Manager
An Evolving Market
The requirements involved in producing groundwood pulp coasters are demanding, and include good printing quality, high absorbency, and board stability that ensures that a coaster will stay in tip top shape even when wet. And there’s also sustainability, which is a key procurement criterion for VELTINS.
Another requirement: flexibility. After all, the beverage coaster market has changed significantly over the last few decades. On one side, there are tons of new beverage brands out there. On the other, private individuals can now buy their own retail coasters too. This means that the way that demand is changing in different markets varies and that volumes are changing worldwide too. There are many reasons for this: demographic change, changes in drinking habits in different parts of the world, and fewer pubs. This makes dependability even more important, since beverage coasters continue to be essential for restaurateurs – even if volumes fluctuate.
We’d always play liar’s dice, and you need a beer coaster to keep score!
VELTINS Head of Procurement Services
Flexible and Reliable
This is why VELTINS has counted on KATZ to make its beverage coasters for over 25 years. “We’ve modified our packaging units several times over the years, so we need suppliers to be flexible,” Diemel tells us. And KATZ Senior Sales Manager Olaf Müller sees this flexibility as only natural. “Our partnership with VELTINS has developed over the years,” he says. “We communicate on equal footing and have always found solutions where needed.”
Diemel agrees: “Our work together is based on trust and open communication,” he says. And that remains the case when new ideas and the future of beverage coasters are involved: “QR codes on beer coasters and sales promotions, coupons, and competitions that combine food service and commerce – there’s just tons of potential there,” Müller says. Beverage coasters offer countless opportunities to make it possible to experience brands at the point of consumption. “However, I think adding electronic components to them is a step too far,” he adds.
VELTINS and KATZ agree that beverage coasters will continue to be a part of beer culture.
Picture: © Koehler Group
People would sometimes use a beer coaster to join the gun club if there weren’t any forms around.
VELTINS Buyer
Beer Coasters Aren’t Going Anywhere
Diemel smiles and nods. “If you put electronics in a coaster, it’s going to absorb less moisture,” he explains before adding that this makes it a no-go. But more brand communication? Yes. Special editions? Absolutely. “Beer coasters are perfect for showing off a new design for an existing beverage brand in the hospitality industry – not to mention for launching new brands,” the head buyer explains. And while it’s hard to predict how people will continue to change their habits in terms of where and when they go out, he’s sure of one thing: Beer coasters will always remain a fixture of beer culture.