Stella Artois' Restaurant, Frites Artois, Is Going Global

Crisp, steaming fries and cold beer. It's a combination that's become nearly universal, but its origins are profoundly Belgian. So when Anheuser-Busch InBev was looking for ways to create more brand awareness in Colombia for Stella Artois, a lager with a rich Belgian history, the marketing team turned to a pairing with more than 200 years of proven popularity. The result: Frites Artois, a custom restaurant concept in the capital city of Bogotá that specializes in Belgium's signature products of Stella Artois and sliced potatoes fried to perfection. Both are served alongside an array of fusion dishes inspired by Latin American flavors and traditions. With soaring modern architecture and a fully custom-built restaurant design, Frites Artois has become the signature gem in Stella Artois' global marketing crown since opening this spring. But the concept—a permanent location, not a fleeting branded pop-up—didn't come about quickly or easily. The exterior of Frites Artois in Bogotá, Colombia Stella Artois' global marketing team spent 12 months brainstorming an idea that could blend the brand's heritage and brand purpose while feeling like a credible fit for the beer itself. This thing can immerse up to 2,000 people a week and better than break even for us. That's an experiential concept we can scale.—Tim Ovadia, global vp, Stella Artois "The answer seemed obvious in hindsight: The best Belgian frites in the world with arguably one of the best Belgian lagers in the world," Tim Ovadia, global vp of Stella Artois, told Adweek. While ambitious experiential marketing projects can often be money pits that cost small fortunes to pull off in the name of brand lift, Frites Artois quickly became a self-sustaining and even profitable endeavor. "It was profitable within three months," Ovadia said. "This thing can immerse up to 2,000 people a week and better than break even for us. That's an experiential concept we can scale." This is going to become a global concept for sure.—Richard Oppy, vp of global brands, AB InBev That scaling is already underway. "This is going to become a global concept for sure," said Richard Oppy, vp of global brands for AB InBev. "We're going to look at rolling out a number of these next year." A pop-up version of Frites Artois was recently tested in Seoul, South Korea, where seating was sold out for four weeks, Ovadia said. Similar pop-ups are planned for Mexico and South Africa. A branded—but not overbranded—experience While Frites Artois will appear in most cities as a temporary experience aimed at gauging local interest, AB InBev opened the Colombia location as a permanent venue from Day one. Motivated in part by the availability of a prime piece of Bogotá real estate, the Stella Artois team decided to go all in on creating a fully formed restaurant rather than a temporary pop-up. "It was the pilot of the concept. It was always meant to be permanent. The team in Colombia loved this concept from Day one, and they were fully committed," Ovadia said. "We had confidence in our ability to understand the landscape and execute." The interior of Frites Artois in Bogotá Working with partners including AB InBev internal agency Draftline, the regional AB InBev team designed Frites Artois from the ground up. The goal was to make it "feel unmistakably Stella without overbranding it," said Roberto Lanz Pombo, who oversaw the design and execution of the location. Next came the menu design, which centered on Belgian frites and Stella Artois but was intended to also reflect local inspirations. "We knew we already had the best beer; we needed to design a menu up to the stakes we were taking," Lanz Pombo said. He worked with chef Jose Maria Ajkay to craft a menu with the right balance. "I remember one conversation we had with Jose Maria before he started designing the menu," Lanz Pombo recalled, "he told me, 'Once we are done with the menu, the other restaurants will have to improve their beer to compete with us.'” A sampling of dishes served at Frites Artois in Bogotá Instead of creating a location that felt plucked from the streets of Antwerp, Ajkay worked to blend a local sense of comfort with the best of Belgium. "While our menu was inspired by Stella's Belgian origin, as a global kitchen we wanted to expand the cooking techniques and ingredients to include things known in Colombian cuisine—like a great variety of potatoes to tropical fruit," he said. "Our Frites are thin-cut potatoes with seasonings that bring to mind Colombian cuisine. They are the perfect accompaniment to mussels in Stella Artois beer based sauces, as well as long-cooked meats that recall one's grandmothers' home cooking." 'This concept can travel' For Stella Artois and its parent company, AB InBev, the Frites Artois restaurant concept has quickly become a prime example of the kind of bold marketing the brand hopes to embrace globally. Residents of Seoul, South Korea, wait in line for the city's Frites Artois pop-up. While launching the first permanent location in Bogotá was certainly a gamble, it's proven to be a rewarding one for the brand both in terms of its marketing goals and its ability to bring in direct revenue. "Literally all our key brand health metrics—brands I love, spontaneous awareness, etc.—have all turned to green and are all in growth on the back of this concept," Ovadia said. Oppy, who oversees the global growth of brands like Stella Artois, Budweiser, Michelob Ultra and Corona, said the concept is a perfect illustration of why AB InBev's global team is focused on both experiential marketing and brainstorming "ideas for growth" that break away from traditional approaches. "We really think this concept can travel," Oppy said. "I think it's amazing if you can get people to pay you to build your brand. It doesn't cost you any money, and in fact you make a profit." Inside Diageo's $210 Million Investment in Scotland's Johnnie Walker Brand Experience

Experiential Marketing

Stella Artois' Restaurant Concept Took Experiential to a New Level. Now It's Going Global

Frites Artois quickly turned a profit as Bogotá's destination for Belgian beer and fries

David Griner

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David Griner