Beam Global launches DYC whisky in India

Beam Global Spirits and Wine Inc announced here the launch of its international DYC whisky brand in the western region.

The company is targeting to make DYC a half-a-million cases brand in the country over the next three years, Harish Moolchandani, company's chief executive officer and managing director, told reporters hours ahead of the launch.

Moolchandani said the launch of DYC heralds Beam Global's entry into the Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) market as the company wants to expands its presence across liquor categories in India.

He said the company has targeted sales of 100,000 cases of DYC in the first year (Jan-Dec 2007) as the product completes its national launch barring southern states by March 2007.

Beam Global is part of the US-based $8 billion Fortune Brands Inc. The company's flagship whisky brand is Teacher's Highlands and it has a 45 per cent marketshare in the Indian bottled scotch whisky segment, with sales of 110,000 cases last year.

DYC is an established brand in Europe, selling 1.7 million cases annually, Moolchandani informed, adding that the whisky had been suitably modified to suit the Indian taste. DYC is a rarely-crafted grain-based whisky, which blends imported malts with whisky procured locally in India, he said.

The product is being projected as a semi-premium offering 'affordable luxury to a whisky drinker'. DYC will carry a maximum retail price of Rs 383 for 750 ml bottle.

Moolchandani said the company would bottle DYC in its plant at Behrur in Rajasthan.

"We have a bottling capacity of 500,000 cases at the plant and we don't see any need to expand this capacity at this stage," he said. He, however, hinted at the possibility of bottling of DYC locally for specific regions or states at a later stage.