Book excerpt: Heineken is known all around the world, but few of the drinkers who eagerly watch the foam rise in their glass have heard of the business ploys, marketing tricks and extraordinary characters that transformed the Dutch family business into a global brand. Taking us on a journey from a small brewery in Amsterdam in 1864 to the present day, The Heineken Story tells the remarkable and sometimes controversial true story of one of the world's largest brewing companies, and of Alfred 'Freddy' Heineken, the singular business man who secured its position. From spectacular takeovers and inspired marketing campaigns, to a kidnapping that brought in the largest ransom ever paid for an individual, this is a gripping account of the battle for the international beer market. Barbara Smit has experience writing on family drama, marketing and consumer culture, and in The Heineken Story she has put together a narrative that is meticulously researched, and fizzing with competition, personalities and betrayal.