Testimonials

If you would like to know what a PAF project is about, take a look at the testimonials of recent candidates. They are classified by region where their assignment took place. Enjoy and be inspired!

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Maxime Pecsteen - Participant 2017

l learnt a lot about the craft beer industry and the Japanese market and developed negotiation skills and a strong sense of responsibility.

Role

Maxime was tasked with developing the Brussels Beer Project’s (BBP) activities in Tokyo, Japan.

Responsibilities

Brussels Beer Project is much more than a mere brewery, creating a world of co-creativity and a community that reflects on taste. So it was vital that Maxime understood the idea behind BBP to become a true “brand ambassador”. After an intense training, Maxime developed a proposal to establish a franchise model for the company in Tokyo, where he would proactively identify and contact bars and restaurants to sell the company’s beers. He also had to focus on creating
a community around the Brussels Beer Project, organizing events to present the story behind the project and tasting sessions.

How he benefited

All in all, Maxime’s contribution to the project propelled BBP, which is essentially a start-up, to the forefront of the local craft beer scene, creating the necessary traction to convince the local importer to launch a project with the company. “I am proud to say that I contributed to a substantial growth in sales of BBP in Japan, with sales doubling in 2017, compared with 2016!”

This success even inspired the importer to propose a joint launch of a Brussels Beer Project bar in Shinjuku, the center of night life in Tokyo. At the end of his assignment, Maxime was extremely happy to be hired by BBP where he will continue to grow, along with the company, as their “Export Shaman”.

The company – Brussels Beer Project

Brussels Beer Project is a micro-brewery which was established in 2013. It is a collaborative project based on co-creativity and aimed at innovation on the brewery scene. A community of 2,500 subscribers crowdfunded the project, giving it the opportunity to open a collaborative brewery in the centre of Brussels and its first international BBP taproom in the thriving district of Shinjuku in Tokyo. A new taproom will soon open in the Pigalle district of Paris.

“Japan was a key export market for us. Maxime was able to forge long-term relationships there and build even stronger foundations. He was instrumental in helping raise awareness about the Beer Project in Tokyo and beyond. The launch of BBP in Shinjuku, Tokyo, had
a big impact for us, both in Japan and Belgium.”

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