HEINEKEN: 30% of OpCo revenue online
Explore how HEINEKEN, one of the world’s largest brewers, digitized its route to market across 25+ countries with Virto Commerce — building a mobile-first B2B platform that reached 30% of OpCo revenue within two years of launch.
In short
HEINEKEN needed one B2B ordering platform it could roll out to its Operating Companies market by market, including regions with limited connectivity. It launched DOT (Digital Order Transfer), a mobile-first ordering platform on Virto Commerce, in Singapore in two months, then scaled it through a shared “Common Solution” to 25+ countries and 370,000+ users. The platform reached 30% of OpCo revenue within two years of launch, and new markets now go live at 35% of the original implementation cost.
We chose Virto’s Commerce Innovation Platform for HEINEKEN B2B ecommerce because it’s the only ecommerce platform that has the functionality, flexibility, and scalability we need — for today and the long term — to meet our goals of global B2B commerce expansion, 24/7 service, and dramatically increased efficiency.
Challenge: scaling to 15+ OpCos
HEINEKEN needed to establish a customized B2B ecommerce solution capable of launching and managing multi-national Operating Companies (OpCos) across more than 15 countries, starting with the APAC region and specifically Singapore.
The existing platform could not keep pace with implementation and development cycles, and it failed to handle the complexity of APAC’s fragmented retail landscape, providing no comprehensive insights into end-users such as small independent grocers.
HEINEKEN identified three strategic priorities:
- Service every market, including regions with limited internet connectivity, with a mobile-first solution
- Prioritize localization and outstanding CX
- Get all-around customer data on end-users
Solution: MVP in 2 months, then scale
HEINEKEN selected Virto Commerce for its flexibility and modular architecture. The implementation followed an MVP-first approach, with the first Singapore OpCo going live in just 2 months. Malaysia and Indonesia followed, and the model was then scaled via a “Common Solution” — a unified order transfer platform enabling standardized rollouts across all OpCos.
Key integrations and features:
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Integration with distributor ERP systems via API for inventory, pricing, and order management
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Integration with Loyalty Prime and Boomi AtomSphere platforms
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Progressive Web App (PWA) for offline functionality
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Offline order via SMS feature
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SMS order notification feature
Result: 30% of OpCo revenue online
The Virto Commerce solution launched in APAC in 2018 has grown to power 25+ countries with 370,000+ global users. The Common Solution architecture enables shared best practices and features across all OpCos, lowering rollout time and total cost of ownership.
Key outcomes:
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30% of OpCo revenue achieved through the mobile-first B2B platform within two years
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New OpCos and smaller markets can now launch at 35% of the original implementation cost
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Real-time stock insights, 24/7 ordering, and account-level visibility previously unavailable to distributors
Business Benefits
- The Common Solution platform enables HEINEKEN to share features, configurations, and best practices across all OpCos, dramatically reducing per-market rollout time and maintenance overhead.
- Progressive Web App (PWA) with offline ordering capability ensures the platform works even in markets with unreliable connectivity — critical for fragmented retail environments.
- SMS ordering and notifications extend digital reach to buyers without smartphones or consistent data access.
- Loyalty Prime integration supports engagement and retention programs at the OpCo level.
