United Breweries (UB) is eyeing a 20 per cent growth in its beer sales in the current fiscal, to touch 100 million cases by March 2010.
Samar Sheikhawat, senior vice-president of marketing, United Breweries, said, “We have a target to sell 100 million cases of beer in the current fiscal (2009-10), compared to 83 million cases last fiscal. We expect 20 per cent growth next year also.”
The total market size of beer in India is around 190 million cases per annum.
Kingfisher, UB’s beer brand, contributes nearly 75 per cent to UB’s overall volume sales.
During 2010-11, UB plans to launch close to four beer brands, of mild and strong varieties. It would introduce Heineken, Cannon and Tiger during the year.
Heineken NV had bought 37.5 percent stake in UB a year back through acquisition of UK-based Scottish and Newcastle Plc. Kingfisher has launched ‘Kingfisher Blue’, which has under 6 per cent alcohol content.
“We would see how Blue is accepted, depending on which we would roll out more mild-to-strong beers in future,” Sheikhawat said.
Kingfisher Blue is looking to sponsor adventure sports as part of its brand association and advertising campaign.
“Liquor advertising is restricted and so we would do it through event sponsorships. Blue is positioned as a drink for the young and so we are looking at sponsoring adventure sports, among other events,” said Sheikhawat.
The company may look at increasing prices, depending on increase in excise and any further increase in input costs like sugar and barley.
