Brazilian tequila hits Indian shores

BEVERAGES: Distributor Aspri Spirits expects to sell 500-600 cases of Diva Cachaca in its first year

Brazil's famous alcohol, cachaca, has finally hit India. The Brazilian tequila "" Diva Cachaca "" has been launched by Diva Distilleries and will be distributed by Aspri Spirits.

Diva Cachaca's launch in India is not only well timed, but also well researched, claims the company which did an exhaustive study of the Asian market and finally decided to step into the continent through India.

"We came to India last year and studied the market here. We realised that almost 60 per cent of the country's population is aged between 22 and 45 years, and this is the age when people are willing to experiment with their taste buds and try new drinks," says Cintia Cardoso de Souza, owner of Diva Cachaca.

"Another driving force behind choosing India was the similarity between Indians and Brazilians "" both have a rich tradition of music and dance and appetite for partying and celebrating," the promoter says.

However, for wine importer Aspri Spirits it was a good fit. Known as the "drink of joy" in Brazil, cachaca seems to be the ideal festivity beverage for a country that loves a good drink.

Aspri's marketing strategy for Diva Cachaca in India will initially revolve around promoting it as a substitute to tequila.

Besides, cachaca is the original sin in the famous Brazilian cocktail "" Caipirinha. And despite its 40 per cent alcohol content, cachaca, owing to its sugarcane origin, doesn't compel you to screw up your nose every time you take a shot.

At the moment though, top priority for Aspri is creating a demand for the drink. "We first have to teach the trade about the usability of cachaca. It's a drink that can be had neat, in cocktails, milkshakes, food and even dessert. So, once it becomes popular on a stand-alone basis, we'll start experimenting with it in food and other beverages," says Arun Kumar of Aspri Spirits.

Since its launch last week in Bangalore and Mumbai, and now in Delhi, orders are coming from five-star hotels and restaurants. Priced at Rs 1,378 for a 700ml bottle, in its first year Aspri expects to sell 500-600 cases of 12 bottles each, including retail sale.

At the same time, Kumar isn't worried about importing too much. "In fact," he smiles, "looking at the initial response, there is greater possibility of shortage of bottles."