Which café will win the title ‘The Favorite Hertog Jan Café of the Netherlands’?
Which café will win the title 'The Favorite Hertog Jan Café of the Netherlands'
Brewer AB InBev celebrates the Dutch café as society’s second living room with new nationwide competition. Starting today, hundreds of pubs across the country will compete for the coveted title ‘The Favorite Hertog Jan Café of the Netherlands’. Beer brewer AB InBev is launching a large-scale, national competition under the motto ‘Out of love for cafés’. The goal is to draw attention to the social value of the café, which for many Dutch people serves as a second living room. From July 20 through August 30, beer lovers and regular visitors can vote daily for their favorite (local) pub.
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The prize for the winner of ‘The Favorite Hertog Jan Café of the Netherlands’ is…
The winner, to be announced on September 28, will not only get to call themselves ‘The Favorite Hertog Jan Café of the Netherlands’, but will also win a makeover budget of €10,000 and officially join the Hertog Jan Society.*
*The Hertog Jan Society is an exclusive society that serves as a quality mark for top cafés that excel in premium service, craftsmanship, and passion for beer. As such, the Society guarantees the place to drink the perfect Hertog Jan. Currently, 27 cafés in the Netherlands are affiliated with the Society.
Café as cultural heritage
AB InBev is launching the nationwide competition in honour of the Dutch café. Although the number of pubs and clubs in the Netherlands has declined rapidly in recent years, cafés hold great social value on social, cultural, and economic levels. Cafés are indispensable places where neighborhood residents come together and celebrate important moments, and they also provide valuable employment.
Earlier this year, the traditional “brown café” was even officially added to the Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Netherlands. With this competition, AB InBev is actively investing in the preservation and future of the sector.
Jasper Kessels, General Manager of AB InBev Netherlands, explains: “With this competition, we’re putting the spotlight on rich Dutch café culture and the dedication of entrepreneurs across the country. The café is where our beer truly comes to life, and just as in our brewery, every day here is worked with pure love, passion, and craftsmanship. Around the world, cafés function as a second living room; they are places where people come together, raise a glass, strengthen friendships, and celebrate life. To protect this culture and honour the entrepreneurs who put their heart and soul into it day after day, we hope as many guests as possible will vote for their favorite Hertog Jan Café.”
Quality and craftsmanship
The participating cafés are located throughout the Netherlands. Public voting runs from July 20 through August 30. Café enthusiasts can vote for their favorite café online or via QR codes. The ten establishments with the most votes will qualify directly for the final, along with two wildcards for the cafés that make the strongest final push in the last two weeks of the voting period.
Then, from August 31 through September 28, the audit and jury visit phase begins. The twelve finalists will submit their motivation to secure a spot in the top 5, after which a mystery visitor will assess the cafés on hospitality, brand experience, and the perfectly poured beer. The eventual winner will be chosen from the top 3 on Monday, September 28, by a professional jury, including a delegation featuring master brewer Micha Peute himself and a representative of the Society.
Votes can be cast starting July 20 here.
Website: Hertog Jan
