Virsabi: Virtual reality beer training for Carlsberg

Scaling beer expertise with virtual reality

For years, bars and restaurants saw significant sales boosts after receiving sales training from Carlsberg representatives. However, the impact was limited by how many venues staff could visit each year, and with high employee turnover in bars, the effect of training often wore off quickly.

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To overcome these barriers, Carlsberg partnered with Virsabi to develop THE EXPERIENCE, a virtual reality training solution that scales to an almost unlimited number of bars and restaurants annually. THE EXPERIENCE removes the need to gather employees at a specific time and place. In theory, a new staff member can walk in off the street, spend 10 minutes with a VR headset, and be ready to serve a perfectly poured beer.

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The first module, The Perfect Pour, trains staff to pour craft beer to perfection. The virtual environment feels so real that users instinctively try to place items on the bar. With full physical interaction mimicking actual movements, trainees pour beer where foam and liquid behave exactly like in a real bar. After a few practice rounds, gamification elements kick in, challenging them to pour five perfect beers within a set timeframe.

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Other modules cover beer types and customer service to further enhance knowledge and skills. Virsabi supported Carlsberg from identifying VR’s potential and defining the business case to developing the modules and managing the distributed headsets, ensuring seamless implementation from idea to execution.