McDonalds and Brewery Tours
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The day began bright and early with breakfast at 7am. From there we
attended a lecture by Daniel Janssens on the Managerial Aspects of
European Integration at KU Leuven. The discussion followed the
progression and history of the European Union and provided a good
background understanding of the structure of the EU.
After the lecture, we traveled to Brussels and met with Government Relations
Consultants, Dr. Sebastian Csaki and Mathilde Hale from McDonald’s
Europe. We discussed the critical issues that McDonald’s has
identified and strive to improve. These issues are health and
nutrition, environment, sustainability, and employment. Lunch was
provided at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant following our corporate
visit. Differences in the menus between the United States and Europe
include “The Royal Cheese” instead of the familiar “Quarter Pounder”
and “The Chicken Mystic” and the “McChicken” or the “Chicken Premium.”
Other differences include less salt on the French fries and everything
was labeled on the boxes, including fat content, calories, protein, and
salt. McDonalds was kind enough to pay for our meals.
Next we visited a company called InBev, which is the number one brewer in
the world by volume. Steven Scheers, the director of People Engagement
and Communication introduced us to the company and showed us a pilot
version of the new recruiting presentation. The next speaker, Pedro
Earp, VP of Global Insights, discussed retail strategy decisions and
how they effectively target consumers and provide them with the beer
that is best suited for their lifestyle.
Last came the highly anticipated tour of the Stella Artois brewery. Our
lively tour guide, Marie Jeanne, captured our full attention as she
explained the brewing process and then walked us through the facility.
The tour concluded with a sampling session in the bar and lounge area.
This jam packed day came to an end when we returned to the hotel around
7pm. Students then concluded the night with exploring around town
before the national holiday on Thursday.
Ryan Camardo
Jennifer Downey
Ashley Moore
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