Dear Netters:
Prohibition is incorporated in the Constitution of India among the
Directive Principles of State Policy. Article 47 lays down that the
state shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption of
alcohol or intoxicating drugs which are harmful to health except for
medicinal purposes.
But India is now on its way to becoming a major alcohol (wine,
whiskey,liquor etc) producing country in the world in course of a
couple of years. Today's (12 08 2011)article in the Times of India is
an eye opener. I do not know whether it is a cause for celebration or
mortification. Please read on - bhuban
Officer's Choice, McDowell's No.1, Celebration, Honey Bee and Old
Tavern top global liquor chart
Allied Blenders said a four-year effort to plug weaknesses was paying
off. "We have focused on increasing capacity, repositioned the brand on
a sense of righteousness and achievement, while repackaging it for a
contemporary feel," executive vice-chairman & CEO Deepak Roy said,
adding that Officer's Choice was poised to overtake Mallya's Bagpiper
as the world's largest whisky brand this year.
The Indian liquor market is forecast to grow into the world's second
largest by 2013 behind China, pushing Russia to third spot. With liquor
consumption indexed to the country's growth, a higher purchasing power
boosted the market 16.1% to 234.4 million cases in 2010. The growth was
22.3% last year.
French distiller Pernod Ricard's India-made whisky Royal Stag added
1.98 million cases to reach seventh place, while United Spirits'
McDowell's Green label whisky (previously called Gilbeys) moved into
10th spot.
United Spirits' Bagpiper whisky grew 0.8% in the last fiscal, figures
earlier shared by United Spirits revealed.
Russia's liquor market, the second largest, declined 0.4% to 274.6
million cases in 2010.
The IWSR report said Belenkaya vodka, the only Russian brand to feature
among the top 10, came in sixth.
The number of Russian brands in the fastest-growing brands list has
been dwindling over the years. For instance, 2009 had five Indian
brands among the top 10 but none from Russia. In fact, Chinese brands,
too, have not been represented in the past two years.
In India, about 19 million potential consumers move into the legal
drinking age every year. This, along with the growing consumption among
women has resulted in more experimentation with flavour categories,
pushing up sales.
However, liquor analysts say that growth in India may be impacted by
the tax regime in some states.
"Maharashtra accounts for 12-13% of liquor sales. The excise duty
increase in the state could weigh down the rate of growth across the
country. It is also likely that these brands will continue to have
India as the main market because entry barriers including distribution,
advertising and regional brands are high in international markets,"
Abneesh Roy, associate director-research at Edelweiss Financial
Services, said.
But Allied Blenders' Roy says Indian liquor companies need to focus on
creating long-term, sustainable businesses. "While Indian brands are
among the top in terms of volumes, foreign brands lead by
profitability. For instance, the price realisation of a case of Johnnie
Walker scotch is nearly 10 times a whisky such as Officer's Choice."
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