Officer's Choice whisky, owned by the Kishore Chhabria-controlled BDA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Herbertsons, has grown by 21 per cent in 2000-01 crossing 30 lakh cases mark for the first time.
The flagship brand's sales now stands at 34 lakh cases, and is now the second highest selling brand in the country after the UB group's McDowell No 1. McDowell is the leader with a 25 per cent market share in the 680 lakh cases whisky market.
BDA is planning to make Officer's Choice as an umbrella brand, where it will be extended across the spirits category. Its leading rum brand is Calypso.
In the rum category, the company is facing stiff competition from Old Monk, one of the oldest rum brands in the country from the Mohan Meakins stable, which sells around 60 lakh cases. McDowell's Celebration rum sells around 20 lakh cases.
Officer's Choice has become the top brand in at least eight states at a time when the prestige segment of the Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) industry is registering a negative growth of 4 per cent.
As part of its expansion plans, BDA is considering the possibility of entering into more tie-up with units in the eastern part of the country. According to industry experts, the eastern market is growing by around 25 per cent with West Bengal and Assam leading the way. Currently, it is produced at 14 production facilities in different states.
BDA's other brands including Class vodka, Calypso rum and Sumo whisky have performed well for the fiscal. Its sales including exports have crossed the 36 lakh cases.
However, according to industry experts if there is a slight increase in prices of whisky, consumers will move down to medium and cheap segment brands.
With liquor multinationals planning to introduce bottle-in-origin products in the market, the domestic companies are confident that their sales would not be affected in the short run. This is because of the high import tariffs imposed by the government to protect the domestic industry.
With the ban on liquor advertising on mass media, companies are finding it difficult to market its products, the challenge is for the new entrants in the market.
