"For now, Kinepils is a limited edition, but who knows, it might one day belong to the permanent range"

At the beginning of March, Kinepolis launched its Kinepils on the market: a beer based on corn, with an infusion of popcorn. A new product that focuses on experience and trends such as sustainability and food pairing. “For the time being, it is still a limited edition, but if it’s up to me, it will one day be part of the permanent Kinepolis range and there will still be room for expansion. A Rouge, a 0.0%, a half-liter, or its own glass. The possibilities are endless.”

Anke Strubbe, project account manager at Kinepolis and creator of the Kinepils.

“Did you know that there are also beers based on corn?” Anke Strubbe, project account manager at Kinepolis, could never have imagined that this "did-you-know" fun fact, shared during a cozy evening of drinking beer with friends, would lead to the new Kinepils from Kinepolis. “What started as a bit of trivia and a joke about how it would be fun to make our own beer based on corn and popcorn, quickly led – on the recommendation of a colleague – to a concrete idea for the Kinepolis Innovation Lab, an international competition by Kinepolis that highlights new concepts from employees."

“The competition is reserved exclusively for Kinepolis employees and took place in France last year. At the beginning of last year, I pitched my idea and less than six months later, it was honored with the ‘Most Creative Award.’ A wonderful compliment for a cinephile and beer lover like me, who loves nothing more than enjoying sweet popcorn with a matching beer during her weekly cinema visit,” says Strubbe.

Sustainability

The idea behind Kinepils is simple, yet surprising. The pilsner is made from malt, hops, and corn, and contains an infusion of popcorn. “I personally love sweet popcorn when I go to the movies. Moreover, it is the star product of Kinepolis, and we have quite a lot of production surpluses when making it. Therefore, it seemed fun to give those surpluses a second life and thus add a sustainable character to the beer. Additionally, it gives the beer its own special flavor that you won't find elsewhere,” Anke Strubbe explains. “In practice, the popcorn surpluses are wrapped in a tea towel, which is then soaked in the beer brew so that the flavor can infuse into the beer.”

Incidentally, sustainability was not only considered during the production of the pilsner. “In developing the format, I also tried to take sustainability into account as much as possible. For instance, Kinepils is available in a 33 cl can, which was a deliberate choice. Research shows that canned pilsner is more sustainable than pilsner in a glass bottle. This is because aluminum can be recycled an infinite number of times, whereas glass cannot.”

Development from A to Z

After the competition, Anke was given the chance to develop the idea from A to Z. “That is not standard, because not all concepts that win a prize are actually launched. So I was lucky,” she laughs. “I had already presented the idea, the slogan, and the design during my pitch. Now I just had to work out the idea concretely: I had to find the right brewer, work out the marketing and logistics... Something that went smoothly thanks to my background in advertising (Anke Strubbe previously worked at BBDO, editor's note). Furthermore, I received a lot of support from my colleagues at Kinepolis: Innovation Director Stefaan Claes and Jeroen Van Haevermaet, Head of In-Theatre Sales Belux,” Strubbe continues, adding that she thoroughly enjoyed being given full ownership and complete freedom to develop the product.

10,000 units

Kinepolis does not wish to disclose how much it invested in the new Kinepils, but the chain is providing a total of about 10,000 units. These limited editions, which cost 3.90 euros per can, are available at all 11 Kinepolis locations in Belgium as long as stocks last. “Since the launch on March 2, hundreds of cans have already gone over the counter,” Anke Strubbe testifies. “Sales are going well,” she states satisfied.

To support the launch of the new product, Kinepolis is primarily advertising heavily within the shops themselves. “We chose marketing in the shop because that is where the moment of decision happens. Specifically, we made floor and fridge stickers, advertisements are shown on the digital screens near the toilets, and we will soon launch a special popcorn menu. Upon purchasing a bucket of popcorn – which will be printed with a photo of the Kinepils – and a Kinepils, customers will receive a 1 euro discount. This promotion runs before and during the Easter holidays,” our interviewee explains. “In addition, influencers have already spontaneously advertised our new product, and we are also providing videos for social media. So, the launch will not go unnoticed.”

“Creative expansion of the cinema experience”

Although Kinepils is a new product, it should not be seen as a traditional product launch. “Since the idea originated within our internal Kinepolis Innovation Lab, where employees are encouraged to come up with new concepts that can enrich the cinema experience, Kinepils is intended less as a classic new beverage product and more as a creative expansion of the cinema experience. It is therefore more about good marketing and brand experience than about a strong product that yields a lot of profit,” it is said.

Nevertheless, Strubbe hopes the product will be a hit. “For now, it’s a limited edition, but I hope it sells so well that the drink can one day become part of the permanent assortment and that there will eventually be an expansion of the range. A Rouge, a 0.0%, a half-liter, or its own glass. I still have many ideas. The possibilities are endless,” she dreams aloud.

Will the drink also be for sale in Kinepolis locations in other countries? “That is not the case for the time being, but I have already had requests from my international colleagues to send some cans. So never say never. But let's first wait and see how Kinepils catches on here, then we'll see,” she concludes.