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Events 28 maltatoday, Sunday, 3 May 2015 Stella Artois reaching gold standard in Malta Vodafone re-opens its Valletta store following extensive refurbishment Peugeot 308 R HYbrid, the compact hatchback that drives like a supercar An international trainer was re- cently in Malta to step up the Stella Artois serving ritual to the stand- ards the top-end Belgian beer is re- nowned for worldwide. Stella Artois is enjoyed in more than 80 countries. With an annual production of more than 9 million HL, it is one of the biggest global beer brands. Stella Artois was intro- duced in Malta by GSD Marketing Ltd in 1995. Stella is part of the An- heuser-Busch InBev Group, which is the largest brewer in the world. The first three establishments that received professional training were Hugo's Pub and AXM Club in St Julian's and Traveller's Café in Bugibba. GSD Marketing Ltd is providing all outlets offering Stella on draught with the brand's famous chalices. Serving Stella in the right chalice is the first step to reach the Gold Standards status. "Stella Artois is known worldwide not only for its distinct taste, but it is also associated with its capac- ity to make beer a thing of beauty," said Frederick Broeckhoven, a Stella Artois World Draught Master and Gold Standards Programme visiting trainer. "For this reason, Stella Artois pays great attention to the details involved in the serving ritual which takes beer-drinking to the next level. To distinguish themselves, bars around the world want to have their barmen professionally trained by Stella Artois and obtain the Gold Standards recognition that shows their patrons the quality of serv- ice they offer with such a premium beer." GSD sales and technical staff were trained in the pouring ritual and draught troubleshooting to assist bars and catering establishments in serving Stella the proper way and aim to achieve the Gold Standard. Once the level is achieved, the bars will receive the Stella Artois' international Gold Standards status which can be proudly displayed on the façade. Spot inspections will be held by the trained GSD representa- tives to ensure that standards are maintained in the outlets that re- ceive the international recognition. GSD Marketing Ltd Business Development Manager Wilfred Camilleri also received personal- ised training to qualify as a trainer himself and in return offer refresher courses to GSD representatives. During the training, which was held over an intensive three days, participants learnt about Stella's his- tory and heritage, its differentiating tasting notes, the importance of the specifically-designed Stella chalice, the pouring ritual, draught trouble- shooting and the brand attributes which give Stella its cutting-edge over other beers. Depending on the outlet, a barman may choose either a nine- or four- step pouring ritual, which includes rinsing the chalice with cold water to allow it to reach the same tem- perature as the beer; removing the the liquid in the tap nozzle to ensure that every drop of Stella is fresh and at the ideal serving temperature; holding the chalice at a 45-degree angle to create the ideal proportion of foam and liquid; removing the chalice away from the font quickly to prevent any drops from falling into the glass and forming oxidisa- tion; cutting the overflowing foam; and rinsing the bottom and sides of the glass. Finally, the Stella Artois is served to the customer on a coaster, accompanied by the drip catcher at the base. Visit https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=nlHAuCtnMYg for a demo of the serving ritual. Vodafone has re-opened its Valletta store following extensive refurbish- ment. This has now been completely redesigned in line with the concept and layout of the Destination Store opened in Birkirkara last Novem- ber and is now the company's sec- ond Store with this new concept in Malta. This concept follows a global ini- tiative led by the Vodafone Group aimed at providing the best possible customer experience across all mar- kets. Based on extensive research into customer expectations, one of the main features of the new con- cept is a modern and simple design and layout that guides the customer exactly where he or she wishes to go. The overall look and feel of the new concept stores is based on the corporate design being rolled out across the Vodafone Group, which means that a customer walking into any Vodafone Store anywhere in the world will immediately feel at home. Customers are also assured of a fast service since a Vodafone staff member will greet all customers as they enter to establish what they require and they will then be di- rected to the appropriate channels. As with the Birkirkara Destination Store, Vodafone has introduced a Tech Zone in Valletta where cus- tomers can ask for expert advice and information on all products and services. Since its launch, the Peugeot 308 has won over more than 280,000 con- noisseurs1 across the world thanks to qualities that are unheard of in segment C. As it presses ahead with its internationalisation strategy, the marque is present at the Shanghai motor show to launch its new 308 S, built and marketed in China. Regardless of body style and en- gine fit, the Peugeot 308 is renowned for its high performance, boosted by the versatility of its EMP2 platform. Peugeot Sport has now developed a new plug- in petrol hybrid pow- ertrain on this same base. The 500 hp power and the four-wheel drive push back the boundaries of sport- ing prowess in the segment, offering truly extraordinary performance. Peugeot 308 R HYbrid is also the revelation of a unique interior design with four individual seats and sleek lines pared in blue and black. A balanced yet radical style Peugeot 308 R HYbrid has the perfect proportions for its quest for pure performance: it is incred- ibly compact with wheels in its four corners offering perfect balance, at- tained by seating the 308 hatchback on the EMP2 platform. The elegant style and sporting prowess of the 308 are perfectly recognisable, borrow- ing the design codes explored on the Quartz concept car and expressing them in its own radical manner. Pinned to the ground on its 235/35 R19 tyres set on tracks that have been widened by 80 mm, the Peugeot 308 R HYbrid devours the road. Its front end is imposing with the expres- sive louvers on the bonnet and the sharp edges and sleek surfaces of its mineral bumper. The grille features a checked pattern and supplies the innovative 500-hp powertrain with air. The side air scoops integrate the sequential LED indicators while the central scoop sports the car's sig- nature 308 R HYbrid badge, carved into the block. In profile, the lines, which have been cut to fit tightly around the me- chanical components, catch the light as they draw your eye over the vehi- cle. Peugeot 308 R HYbrid is cloaked in an impressively intense blue, de- veloped using fluorescent pigments and glass particles. This colour re- calls both the hybrid powertrain and the shade historically reserved for French competition vehicles. On the rear doors, the blue is matched with a matte black, giving a different in- terpretation of the car's clean lines, a trademark of the most extreme cars from Peugeot. At the rear, Peugeot 308 R HYbrid is remarkably understated yet just as radical. The rear stance underscores the car's road handling while a nar- row spoiler at the top of the tailgate reinforces the aerodynamics. Then there is the bumper with two scoops that help keep the battery tempera- ture down by drawing out the hot air. The air scoops and the body sills are embellished with a touch of white ceramic-look material, emphasising the car's dynamic character. Coldwell Banker Malta supports Amber Coldwell Banker Malta, Master Franchisor of one of the world's largest real estate sales organisa- tion, sponsored Amber in Con- cert on the 17 and 18 April at the Mediterranean Conference Centre (MCC). The event was organised by the Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) together with the PBS 40 piece Orchestra conducted by Mro Paul Abela, a renowned Maltese com- poser who penned a number of Maltese Eurovision entries. Amber, Malta's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest which will be held in Vienna this month, performed a number of songs to- gether with other past Eurovision representatives such as Joe Cutajar (1972), Gianluca Bezzina (2013), Fe- derica (JESC 2014) and Gaia (win- ner of JESC 2013). The guest list also included Franklin Calleja and Christabelle. At Coldwell Banker Malta we believe that any individual can de- velop his/her full potential with the required support. We are currently looking for candidates who have a passion for real estate and want to pursue a career in this sector. Should you be interested in joining the Coldwell Banker Malta team or learn more about us kindly send an e-mail on info@coldwellbanker. com.mt or call on +356 2339 2299. Coldwell Banker Malta augurs Amber the best of luck for the up- coming Eurovision Song Contest and every success with future en- deavours. Download the MaltaToday App now Professional training to step up the serving ritual