Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 24, 1982)
Blitz-Weinhard cuts prices by 15 percent PORTLAND (AP) - Blitz Weinhard Co has dropped the price of its Blitz beer by 15 per cent in an effort to regain sales lost because of Oregon's recession and changing beer drinking trends, the company announced Tuesday "Because of the recession here, the marketplace has gone to lower-priced beers," said Fred Wessinger, president of the Portland-based brewery "We are positioning our selves right back into the place where we used to be," he said about the reduction that has put a $2 19 price tag on Blitz in the supermarket, compared to the $2 49 price before Feb 1 Blitz used to be the best selling suds in Oregon In 1971-73, 31 5 percent of beer sold in the state carried the Blitz label, said Gene Clark, advertis ing director Consumption has steadily declined since that peak to an 8 percent to 10 percent share of beer sales last year in Oregon, which places Blitz "somewhere around fifth or seventh place,” Clark said Wessinger said the price reduction is expected to boost sales by 25 percent Although distribution is concentrated in Oregon and southwestern Washington, the company also sells its flagship brand in Idaho and California Clark said generic or plain label brews have taken some of Blitz’s business, as have "premium-priced'' brands, such as Budweiser and Miller, and the "super-premiums,” such as Michelob and Blitz's own Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve But most of Blitz's sales have been taken by the new light or low-calorie brews and other regional beers such as the Olympia Brewing Co s Hamms, and Rainier Brewing Co s Rainier and Heidelberg brands He sard the price change puts Blitz back in competition with those brands, and leaves the Olympia brand at the top of the price list in the "popular priced” or “regional” beer ca tegory "Consumers are more price-conscious than they have been They are looking for good value for their money.” Clark said "We may be looking here at a resurgence of the old Wes tern beers — that price structure and the way it used to be In a way, we re getting back to regionalized preference ” In addition to Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve and Blitz, the brewery that Wes singer’s great grandfather, Henry Weinhard, started in 1856 also makes the Olde English 800, a malt liquor, and the "economy-priced" Bohemian Club The brewery also produces all Pabst Brewing Co products for the West Coast and for ex port to Asia Pabst bought Blitz Weinhard in 1979. but the Port land brewery is still locally run by Wessinger and his brother, William. Clark said a new advertis ing campaign for Blitz is being planned, but it will not focus on the price reduction "The campaign will ba sically associate Blitz with the state of Oregon,” Clark said, "which is basically what we have been doing for the last 10 years anyway.” Wessinger said the com pany that employs 300 has not been forced to lay off anyone, and that the price-reduction move is expected to boost sales and employment. Until Blitz’s hoped-for in creased sales roll in, Wessinger said the slack is being made up in revenues from the brewery’s hottest seller, Henry’s "When we rolled Henry Weinhard's out, we used Blitz funds," he said "Now that Henry’s stands on its own, the situation has turned around.” The Wessingers are very proud of Henry’s, which, after a MEETINGS The Psychology Club will meet today at 3 30 pm in Room 111M EMU All members — old and new - please come A Women In Transition support group lor women returning to school will meet Thurs day at 9am in Century Room E EMU For more information call Mary or Joyce at 686-4099 The Incidental Fee Committee will hold budget hearings today in the EMU (room to be posted) Schedule 4pm Muslim Student Association 4 30 p m CSPA Graduates 5pm OSL 5 30 p m Panhel lemc 6pm SBA SPEAKERS A computer-illustrated lecture on developing decision-making processes in architecture will be given today by Stephen Tang a University architecture professor at 7 30 p m in Room 123 Science I ''Crisis in the Humanities'* is the topic of a lecture today by Eugen Weber, history professor and dean of the College of Letters and Science at the University of California Los Angeles Eugen s talk set for 8 p m at the Gerlinger Hall Alumni Lounge will be followed by a reception The program »s open to the public without charge SEMINARS An ongoing stress reduction / relaxation seminar will be held Thursday from 4 30-5 30 p m in the Stafford dormitory lounge Open to all students free of charge WORKSHOPS “Economics and Children' is the topic of a workshop today at 7 pm in Room 137 Gilbert Hail The workshop part of the Group Marriage Workshop — Personal Lifestyle Design series offered through SEARCH, focuses on living in a multiple adult family For more information, call 345-5626 Th* second of a three-part series of seminars for area youths on native tradi tions of the Pacific Northwest is scheduled for Saturday at the University s Museum of Natural History The event, open to fourth through 1?th grade schoolchildren in the Eugene Springfield and Bethel school dis tricts will include a discussion of winter activities of traditional cultures in the Pacific Northwest drumming basketweaving lewelry making and tracking demonstra tions and traditional storytelling from the Columbia River region Each workshop is limited to 50 youths To pre-register or for further information, contact the University Musuem of Natural History at 686-3024 from 10 am to 3 p m or Twila Souers District 4J Natives Program coordinator at 687-3489 MISCELLANEOUS Journalism majors: interested In being a peer advisor? Stop by the Journalism Peer Advising office Room 311-D. Allen Hall this week and find out how you can join next term Questions'’ Call 686-3715 Ash Wednesday Services with imposition of ashes will be held today at the Komonia Center Chapel 1414 Kincaid St at 12 30 and 4 30 p m "Soviet Jewry Day" today in the EMU Lobby from 9 30 a m to 2 30 p m attheHillel table The national president of the Society of Professional Journalists, Steven Dornfeld will be on campus today He will hold a press conference at 9 30 a m in the Turnbull reading room. Room 211. Allen Hall A brown bag lunch and discussion session will follow in Room 108 EMU. from noon to 1 30 p m All interested students are invited to attend The Baha’i Campus Association will have an information table in the EMU lobby today from 9 a m to 4 p m The Lane County Chapter of the American Red Cross Krill hold its free monthly blood pressure clinic from 9am to 3 p m on Thursday at the Chapter House 150 E 18th Ave Ash Wednesday — Roman Catholic ser vices at 12 30 p m at Sacred Heart Chapel 5 and 9 pm at the Newman Center 18th Avenue and Emerald Street POLICY The Emerald’s briefs column is the re DOONESBURY by Garry Trudeau 1 CANIMAte UP MY MINPHMT 1 5H0ULP ULAP T0MYStmNC!N6, *mr ip rouutxt w imt , i*Mi mjlp MArj. a gem*. /*1 PRB&&Y A GPtY Sun OP AIYMTB n'SHAWTOSAv UNCLE henry if you wear rue WHITE sun. 1 MbW con CUE WUM0&/7 TAKJNO MUR COMCDON SERIOUSLY. OH THE OTHER HAND IF p^\ you look LiKewteoN I; 3 i 10UF MAi TO A FUNbRAL. ► / might think you uere |!|P TRYING to con me HOu ABOUT A MIX ? WHAT If I tuoze A PAR* LEJSURB SUIT ANP A WHTTp mj*\ I'Q THROW THE. BOOK AT YOU BLOOM COUNTY by Berke Breathed 1 ""'i r .. ■ r wax FOLKS, OUR UW story 15 that m rolling STONCS ROCK ANR ROLL &KDUR WILL 86 COMING TO PLAY «T OUR OWN BLOOM county school. N££ClfcSS1CSAY THIS N€WS IS STIRRING THINGS UR IN OUR 0THSRWIS6 scetpy COwuntty f m ons oracle has ACMITTEP THAT NEXT WEEK 5 STONtS CONCERT 15 CAUSING SOME CONCERN WrmiN THE urn CHAPTW or me moral majority... ,5(™ POM" NMM& i " isitm ^ wcpmt?! Recycle this paper sponsibility of the news editorial depart ment and is open to anyone wishing to announce meetings, lectures, seminars, exhibits, scholarships, or miscellaneous events Briefs are run once and they are subject to space limitations They must be typed and triple-spaced in a 65-character margin Include all pertinent information Also, list a name and phone number in case we have questions, and the date you want the brief run Events with donations or admission charges will not be accepted unless the organization is non-profit All items must be turned in by noon the day before publication at the Emerald office. Room 300. EMU If you have a question, contact John at 686-5511 humble beginning in 1977, ac counted for 60 percent of the brewery’s production in 1981. The brew is estimated to ac count for 70 percent of Blitz production this year. Despite the Blitz losses, the brewery’s sales have increased markedly because of its higher priced Henry Weinhard's, Clark said Sales of Henry’s rose 33 percent last year, and already account for 50 percent of the super-premium beer sales in Oregon and in the Seattle area The company will begin test-marketing Henry's in Aus tin, Texas, next week, and if successful, a marketing effort is planned for Dallas, Wessinger said In addition to Oregon and Washington, Henry Weinhard’s is sold in California, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico JOB INTERVIEWS? SALE! $300,000.00 INVENTORY OF MENSWEAR SLASHED! Total Liquidation! Sale on Now MR. ROBERTS Inside ttie Springfield Mall 1-105 & Mohawk. Springfield i-r One Day Photo Service c’41 on,y Offer expires 2-27-82 T55 36 EXP DEVELOPING AND PRINTING $5.29 COUPON MUSf ACCOMMMV 0»0»» uo BOOKSTORE 13th & Kincaid Mon-Fri 8 15-5 30 Sat 10 00-3 00 Textbooks 686-3520 General Books 686-3510 Supplies 686-4331 Take o and of Change A day long workshop to promote personal & professional development Featuring : • Advertising & Marketing — AAF • Public Relations — PRSSA < • Print — SPJ/SDX • Broadcasting — WICI Professional contacts Internship information Necessary equipment for a successful career The keynote speaker: The Honorable Betty Roberts Oregon Supreme Court Justice Time 10 AM 4 PM Place Allen Hail Date Sat. Feb. 27 Open to all For more information call 484-9725
