B9 Beverages doubles its losses to Rs 101 crore in FY18

With the goal of completely redefining the craft beer scene in India, BeeYoung, the nation's first handcrafted strong beer, is proud to present BeeYoung Beyond, a "Crafted International Style Pilsner" that blends traditional regional flavors with international brewing standards to produce a premium beer that is also proudly Indian. To provide customers with an experience that goes "beyond" their expectations by providing a premium, refreshing, and adaptable beer that can be enjoyed on a variety of situations.

Made with a specific blend of Doon Basmati rice from Uttarakhand and Belgian specialty malt, BeeYoung Beyond honors India's agricultural legacy while also having a smooth, velvety mouthfeel. This rice pays homage to the Himalayas, the birthplace of Kimaya Himalayan Beverages, and captures the splendor and diversity of the local way of life. BeeYoung Beyond is a robust and smooth beer with modest earthy, spicy, and floral aromas from specific hops.

"At BeeYoung, we've always believed in pushing the boundaries of what craft beer can be. BeeYoung Beyond is a testament to our commitment to craft excellence," said Abhinav Jindal, Founder & CEO of Kimaya Himalayan Beverages LLP. "The inclusion of Doon Basmati rice in our brew speaks to the unique flavor profile and reflects our dedication to sourcing local, high-quality ingredients that celebrate India's provenance. We are thrilled to offer our consumers something that goes beyond just beer—a true experience in every sip."

The iconic beer brand "BeeYoung" introduces BeeYoung Brewgarden, its flagship location and first-ever consumer experience.

Located inside the well-known Panchshila Rendezvous, a vibrant place as it has similar welcoming like a  European brewpub but with a lighthearted and artisanal touch.

The BeeYoung Brewgarden, featuring freshly produced beers, is the latest innovation from Kimaya Himalayan Beverage, designed to welcome Brewtiful moments.

The BYBG, a green and vibrant place, has one of the largest microbreweries in North India. It can accommodate 220 people for dining.

 “We have created a food menu that compliments the beer and gives it a euro-pub feel. We of course have the typical fish and chips, but have experimented with other ingredients and flavors to add that extra zing for our customers that combine artisanal beverages with a globally inspired menu,” said Mukesh Kumar Mathur, Executive Chef.

Meanwhile, Kumar Gaurav, Head Brewer said, “Our beer has a distinctive taste and is known for its quality. We wanted to play with ingredients and have freshly brewed beer on tap. We will continuously change what we offer so that each time a returning customer has something new to try, from aroma, taste, and aftertaste. There is a demand for strong beer and light beers and we will have everything under one roof.”

In a delicious collaboration that marries the best of Indian cocoa beans with innovative craft brew experiences, Ironhill India announced its collaboration with GoGround Beans & Spices today. 

This collaboration aims to celebrate the richness and quality of Indian cocoa beans while exploring new frontiers in the craft beer segment.

"Through our partnership with Ironhill India, we're thrilled to bring the Indian cocoa beans into the spotlight. It is a well-known fact that Indian cocoa beans are renowned for their unique and distinct flavour profile, characterized by rich, earthy undertones with subtle hints of fruity and floral notes. They offer a versatile brewing experience, allowing for the creation of beers that have a harmonious blend of chocolatey richness and subtle undertones, providing a sensory experience that is distinctly Indian,” shared Luca Beltrami, Co-founder of GoGround Beans & Spices. 

Ironhill India is one of the premier craft brewery that is one of the fastest growing brands in the country. Headed by Teja Chekuri, the brand has made strides in building the segment and taking the art of craft brewing to the next level.  

With the collaboration with GoGround Beans & Spices they add another cocoa infused brew to its mix. Established in 2015 by Luca Beltrami and his wife, Ellen, GoGround Beans & Spices has been at the forefront of supporting cocoa farmers in Kerala's Idduki region. Their mission extends beyond mere commerce; they strive to enhance farm yield, modernize production techniques, and uplift the socio-economic status of smallholder farmers in the region. 

"Craft beer is a realm where innovation is only limited by your imagination. By incorporating Indian cocoa beans into our brews, we're not only elevating the flavor profile but also shedding light on the incredible potential of Indian agricultural produce and native beans that are pleasing to the Indian palate,” added Teja Chekuri, Managing Partner, Ironhill India.

Third Wave Coffee and Ironhill India have teamed up to create a unique and inventive experience for coffee and beer lovers.

With this partnership, the companies will offer customers a blend of high-quality coffee and craft beer.

"Our collaboration with Ironhill represents a convergence of passion and craftsmanship. We set out to create a beverage that transcends boundaries, offering patrons an unparalleled sensory journey. The result is a stout that marries the boldness of quality coffee with the artistry of craft beer, delivering a truly exceptional drinking experience." said Anirudh Sharma, Co-founder, Third Wave Coffee.

Initially accessible in Ironhill Bangalore and subsequently in Hyderabad, this partnership arises from a mutual acknowledgment that the varied tastes of beer enthusiasts warrant a distinctive fusion, uniting the luxurious notes of premium coffee with the artistry of handcrafted beer.

"At Ironhill, we have always strived to push boundaries and create unique offerings for our customers. Teaming up with Third Wave allows us to delve into uncharted territories, introducing a blend of flavors that hasn't been explored before. We are confident that this collaboration will resonate with our patrons who appreciate quality and innovation." said Teja Chekuri, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Ironhill India.  

The outcome is a menu featuring a carefully chosen array of beers infused with coffee, each meticulously crafted to provide a unique flavor.

This collaboration marks a new chapter in the brewing landscape, where coffee and beer aficionados can come together to savor the best of both worlds.

American Brew Craft Pvt Ltd (ABCL) is a brewing company recognized for its exceptional craft, ventures into Kerala by launching the exclusive Flying Monkey Ultra Strong Beer.

Beer is tailored specifically for Kerala, this new variant aims to revolutionize the beer scene, presenting a unique taste and identity for the state's audience.

"We're thrilled to introduce Flying Monkey Ultra Strong Beer as we expand our operations to Kerala.  We have taken care to understand the preferences of the consumers in Kerala and especially prepared this brew to suit their taste and contribute to Kerala's vibrant beer culture. We have an experienced team of brew masters who carefully prepare and monitor the brews ensuring consistency of taste and flavours batch-after-batch so that beer connoisseurs enjoy our brews and have a great time.” said Nagendra Tayi, Director and Chief Executive Officer, American Brew Crafts Pvt Ltd.

Flying Monkey Ultra Strong Beer embodies a bold and robust essence designed for seasoned beer aficionados.

With a full-bodied nature and smoothness with a distinct flavor profile, this variant enhances the strong beer experience.

“At American Brew Crafts we ensure quality and consistency by producing beer in small batches at our state-of-the-art breweries equipped with the latest German machinery. We hope the latest addition to our portfolio, Flying Monkey Ultra Strong Beer will satiate the preferences of beer lovers in Kerala and will be widely accepted in the state.” said Satya Siva Athi, Director, Director, American Brew Crafts Pvt Ltd.

Flying Monkey Ultra Strong Beer introduces a smoky element, adding a layer to its taste, thereby establishing fresh benchmarks for potent brews.

The vibrant and sleek packaging features a monkey in a space suit, exuding a 'Zen' vibe which encapsulates the brand's essence.

The Belgian Beer Café presents a selection of Belgian culinary delights and carefully selected brews.

The menu has signature dishes like Belgian Fries, Tenderloin Carpaccio Platter, Vol Au Vent, and Fruiture.

“We proudly unveil the first and only Belgian Beer Cafe (BBC) in India, bringing you the same authentic BBC experience you'd expect from anywhere else in the world. The interiors of our restaurant are sure to leave you spellbound. Located just an hour from downtown Delhi and a mere 30 minutes from Noida, our five-star luxury hotel is now home to six unique fnb outlets, catering to all each palate.” said Sharad K Upadhyay, GM, Crowne Plaza Greater Noida.

The Belgian Beer Café 'Rural Concept' aims to recreate the same feeling of organic growth seen in its Belgian counterparts, fostering the warmth and companionship that characterizes the Belgian Beer Café® 'Rural Concept.'

“Belgian Beer Cafe has long been renowned for its authentic Belgian culinary experience, lively ambiance, and extensive selection of premium Belgian beers. With the opening of our Noida location, we are thrilled to bring this exquisite taste of Belgium to the vibrant community in Noida.” said Dries Vande Velde, Director of Operations, Creneau International.

IBC, a popular craft beer brewery in India and a subsidiary of The Trenton Group, has recently unveiled a new drink option on its menu called Prince Charming.

Prince Charming is a unique type of beer that is created by fermenting a blend of malt and fresh apple, also known as Graf, and then aging it with fresh strawberries.

This specialty ale is one-of-a-kind, and what sets it apart is that IBC is the first brewery to introduce Graf as a distinct style of alcoholic beverage.

The Prince Charming beer has a fizzy texture and a partially sweet aftertaste, which is infused with the delectable flavors of juicy strawberries and a hint of caramel aroma. It has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 4.8% and an International Bitterness Units (IBU) rating of 0.

The newly launched Prince Charming Beer with Strawberry Graff is now being served at all Independence Brewing Company outlets.

The beer is made using the freshest and highest quality handpicked strawberries from the finest organic farms, resulting in a refreshing drink that's bursting with fruity flavor and a hint of funk.

Beer comes in three different sizes, namely 250ml, 500ml, and 1 liter.

Bakery chain L’Opéra has introduced the CISK 0.0, Non-Alcoholic Lager imported from Malta in all its outlets across Delhi NCR.

The launch was marked at an event in the presence of H.E. Reuben Gauci High Commissioner of Malta and the Founding Family at L’Opéra’s Salon de Thé at GK2 Main Market.

“We are very happy to see L’Opéra, the foremost and authentic French Bakery, Pastry and Salon de Thé in India carry this unique product and offer it in all its outlets to its customers,” shared Sahil Tandon, Director of A&Z Exports International Group, the importer of the beer in India.

In his remarks, H. E. Reuben Gauci drew the attention of the audience to the fact that “CISK Beer is an expertly brewed and packaged drink in Malta since 1929” and continued by stating “I am thrilled that this national treasure and the pride of the Maltese Islands is now available in India and at L’Opéra outlets”.

Continuing in the same line, Kazem Samandari, Executive Chairman and Co-Founder of L’Opéra  added, “We are delighted by this collaboration, which brings one of the finest products of Malta to our valued customers and patrons in India”. He further added, “Bringing different cultures and peoples together through a culinary experience is what L’Opéra has always stood for”.

CISK 0.0 Alcohol-Free Beer, 100% Flavour and 0% Alcohol, was only recently introduced in 2021. It is fermented with the same ingredients as a CISK Lager but later is stripped off all its alcoholic content.

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British multinational alcoholic beverages companyDiageo has bought shares worth about Rs 352 crore or 0.7 per cent in United Spirits.

With this its total stake in India's largest liquor firm raises to 55.9 percent.

The maker of Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff purchased 50.75 lakh shares at Rs 693.25 per share on the National Stock Exchange.

"India remains one of the most exciting growth markets in the world for total beverage alcohol. This transaction forms part of Diageo’s long-term strategy of premiumisation within the market," read a Diageo statement.

Diageo first acquired a controlling stake in USL in 2014 to cash in the world's biggest whiskey market where USL is by far the market leader.

USL has more than 100 brands such as McDowell whiskey but has been increasing pushing premium products such as Johnnie Walker and Black & White. Since the British spirits giant acquired USL more than five years ago, premium segment sales has gone up from around 45 per cent-50 per cent in 2014 to over two-thirds to its overall sales now.

Diageo's overall net sales in India grew 2 per cent but prestige and above segment, where it competes with the French rival Pernod Ricard, went up 5.1 per cent during quarter ended December.

Anheuser Busch InBev (AB InBev), while sells Budweiser and Corona, has introduced its local wheat beers, Veere and Machaa, in Bengaluru.

In October last year, the world’s biggest brewer set up an Indian unit, 7 Rivers Brewing Co, to launch the two wheat beer variants in Mumbai and Pune.

Kartikeya Sharma, President (South Asia) for AB InBev, said, “We are constantly looking at ways to enhance our existing portfolio of beers and the launch of Veere and Machaa is yet another step in that direction. We are delighted with the response from our consumers in Mumbai and Pune. We see a growing trend of specialty wheat beers across the top urban centers in the country.”

Wheat beer

These beers have a larger proportion of wheat malt than malted barley. In India, the number of bars that increasingly stock Belgian Witbier and German Hefeweizen-style wheat beer is on the rise, helped by surging consumer demand.

AB Inbev’s craft-style beer is a locally made Belgian wheat beer made using wheat sourced from various parts of Punjab and Haryana. Veere has notes of orange and coriander flavors, while Machaa is a tropical beer with flavors of banana and cloves sourced from Tamil Nadu.

In December last year, United Breweries (UB) also ventured into the fast-growing craft beer segment with the introduction of Kingfisher Ultra Witbier.

Indian Beer Market

As per the report, India Beer Market Overview, 2018-2023, The Indian Alcoholic beverages market observed the highest market share of Whisky which is followed by brandy & beer. Indian Beer market has a market share of 17%, being third in the Indian alcohol beverages market.

The rise in disposable income of the Indian population has somewhere led the consumers to shift from standard beers to premium and craft beers. The population is turning more brand conscious, offering numerous business opportunities to entrepreneurs.

The beer consumption in India, in volume terms, is less than 1.5% of global beer volumes, while spirits consumption is as much as 12%. Also, the country’s per capita beer consumption at around 2 litres per annum remains materially below other markets.

The Beer House Café has launched a new outlet in Shipra Mall in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. It is one of its kind properties in Indirapuram and survives on the philosophy that an excess of a good thing is a very good thing, the greatest plan is no plan made at all, and that quest of pleasure is a noble one.

Starting from its humble roots in Indirapuram, the brand has been building its café in the heart of Delhi’s most colourful and prominent neighbourhood. The Beer House Café is an amalgamation of a Lounge bar, pub; an eatery they reckoned that every great neighbourhood deserves.

The Beer House Café’s desire for classic gastronomy and a strong influence of its fellow-travellers pushed it to voice the passion by projecting some of the world-renowned 30+ beer brands in its little space, fondly call as a “Beer Paradise”.

A bold multi-faceted venture, where you can choose to either unwind, party, or indulge in social gatherings, aims to be a haven for foodies projecting a multi-cuisine menu consisting of Italian, Mexican & Continental. The ambience is second to none with emphasis on classic modern décor, suitable for corporate meetings as well as social gatherings and late-night musical session.

Taxation on Beer

In India, the alcoholic-beverage industry, including beer, is heavily regulated, with excise and other taxes forming an important source of revenue for state governments. Due to this, it is difficult for most companies and retailers to register higher profits.

The beer attracts the highest taxation of any beverage in the country, with only 5% alcohol in beer on average. Furthermore, beer retails from as low as Rs 36 for a Kingfisher beer bottle in Goa to Rs 115 in Madhya Pradesh, indicating how there is a huge price disparity for the same brand.

“With equity infusion of just Rs 84 crore till now, we have done gross revenue of over Rs 500 crore since we started. The burn has come down significantly and the leverage is kicking in,” Singh stated.

Indian Beer Market

As per the report, India Beer Market Overview, 2018-2023, The Indian Alcoholic beverages market observed the highest market share of Whisky which is followed by brandy & beer. Indian Beer market has a market share of 17%, being third in the Indian alcohol beverages market.

The rise in disposable income of the Indian population has somewhere led the consumers to shift from standard beers to premium and craft beers. The population is turning more brand conscious, offering numerous business opportunities to entrepreneurs.

The beer consumption in India, in volume terms, is less than 1.5% of global beer volumes, while spirits consumption is as much as 12%. Also, the country’s per capita beer consumption at around 2 litres per annum remains materially below other markets.

White Owl Brewery, which sells the eponymous beer brand, has introduced a strong craft beer called Spike. This is a first in the craft beer segment in India.

The company has launched Spike in Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Goa, and Delhi in the bottle and can formats.

Javed Murad, Founder of White Owl Brewery, said, “Spike is a much-needed addition to our local beer space where strong beer holds 85% market share with no craft beer participant, until now. This variant brings together craft beer and strong beer into the same bottle.”

Spike: A strong craft beer 

Spike is a handcrafted German Weizenbock (strong wheat beer) with banana and clove flavor. It has a higher ABV (alcoholic by volume) of 7.9% as against the mild 5% in traditional craft beer.

“The new variant will contribute to White Owl’s distribution network expansion three-fold in the coming 6-10 months,” Murad added.

The strong craft beer is a common phenomenon in developed craft beer markets across Western Europe and North America. A 500 ml will cost about Rs 170.

Fundraise

In October, White Owl Brewery has secured Rs 40 crore in its second round of funding led by existing investors IIFL India Private Equity Fund. The funds have been raised to expand the geographic footprint to cash in on the rising popularity of craft beer.

The Mumbai-based brewer had announced that the fresh capital will be utilized to widen its product portfolio and newer formats, including the launch of a strong craft beer under the brand name Spike.

So far, the company has raised Rs 70 crore and the latest equity financing round was believed to have valued the firm at a little more than Rs 200 crore.

Expansion plans

As part of its expansion plans, White Owl Brewery is eyeing to foray into five new markets across North and South India as well as two global markets by the end of FY 20. The brewery will also be adding Spike’s kegs to its existing offering of bottles and cans in order to cater to the increasing demand for craft beer on tap.

India still favors strong beer with over 80% share. Beer giants like United Breweries, Anheuser-Busch Inbev and Carlsberg have been producing stronger variants of their flagship beer brands, a segment where White Owl had no presence at all until now.

United Breweries Limited has forayed into the alternate beer category with the launch of the Kingfisher Ultra Witbier, the first non-lager beer from the house of Kingfisher.

The craft-style beer is brewed with the authentic Belgian wheat beer recipe, offering a refreshing, light and sessionable taste. With an ABV of lower than 5%, the beer is a rich blend of all-natural extracts of orange and coriander, spices sourced from Belgium and new world aromatic hops sourced from the USA.

Debabrata Mukherjee, Chief Marketing Officer, United Breweries Limited, said, “Every consumer need across categories is important to us, and it is our responsibility to provide choice in our portfolio. With our first offering in the speciality beer segment, Kingfisher Ultra Witbier wideness our footprint and provides another innovative beverage option in the beer category.”

Kingfisher Ultra Witbier

Kingfisher Ultra Witbier is available in 3 SKUs, a 330 ml bottle, a 500 ml can and a 650 ml bottle, priced at Rs 110, Rs 150 and Rs 185respectively in Karnataka state. The new offering is packaged with a blend of old school and modern graphic design, and the wheatish label is inspired by the product’s key ingredient.

Kingfisher Ultra Witbier is geared up to capture markets with its authentic Belgian wheat beer recipe and is now available across Karnataka and Goa. It will soon be available in Maharashtra, Delhi, and Haryana.

“Consumers today expect more from their beers- they crave uniqueness in flavor, taste &experience. Ultra Witbier will retain the sense of style and authenticity of the parent brand ULTRA, and we are confident it will appeal to our consumers across the country,” Mukherjee added.

Kingfisher ULTRA

Kingfisher ULTRA, the Emperor of Good Times was launched in September 2009. A premium offering from United Breweries, ULTRA assures consumers the best quality, taste and the most differentiated experience across every touchpoint. Kingfisher ULTRA is made from the finest ingredients which have a distinctive taste.

The brand has based its activations on prominent genres like fashion and music. Apart from these, Kingfisher ULTRA has also launched various other activations and promotions across all points of sale which have met with positive responses amongst its consumers. It is a beer for the modern, urban, confident, independent and self-assured consumer. It is for those who want the best and deserve the best. It is currently available in all major cities of the country.

Indian Beer Market

According to the report, the Indian Alcoholic beverages market observed the highest market share of Whisky which is followed by brandy & beer. Being third in the Indian alcohol beverages market, the Indian Beer market has a market share of 17%.

The rise in disposable income of the Indian population has somewhere led the consumers to shift from standard beers to premium and craft beers. The population is turning more brand conscious, offering numerous business opportunities to entrepreneurs.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the maker of Budweiser, Corona, and Hoegaarden, and the Tata-owned Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) have partnered to launch micro-breweries inside Taj hotel properties in India.

Both companies will together invest Rs 150 crore to introduce 15 microbreweries in key Taj properties over the next five years. As part of this partnership, Ab Inbev will handle the backend like brewing and the beer recipes, while Taj will be running the outlets.

Ben Verhaert, President, South Asia, AB InBev, said, “We will leverage our collective strength to shape the beer category in India. While Taj will bring hospitality excellence and beautiful locations, we have a vast portfolio of craft brands globally and together, that can elevate the country's brew pub experience.”

“The idea is to sell a local product portfolio and it is a fairly large investment. We will spend Rs 150 crore in the first five years,” Verhaert further added.

Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL, stated, “This partnership, exclusive to IHCL will be a first of its kind in the hospitality industry in India. With its diverse collection of over 500 beer brands, AB InBev will be involved in setting up on-site microbreweries at some of our iconic hotels; the first of which will be at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru, followed by Goa, Mumbai and Hyderabad.”

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Anheuser-Busch InBev has been banned from India's capital city from selling its products in the key New Delhi market for 3 years for allegedly evading local taxes. The world's largest brewer sells popular beer brands such as Budweiser, Hoegaarden and Stella Artois. 

The Delhi government investigation found that SABMiller, acquired by AB InBev in 2016, used duplicate bar codes on its beer bottles supplied to city retailers that year, allowing the company to pay lower taxes.

Last week, the city government issued a second order, which said that AB InBev should be put on a blacklist for three years. A senior Delhi government official said that the company’s two warehouses in New Delhi were already sealed.

The official said, “This means the company is debarred from Delhi market for all purposes, unless they appeal against this.”

The beer manufacturer said that the government’s allegations were related to operations of SABMiller prior to its takeover. AB InBev’s spokesperson said, “Integrity and ethics are part of our core values. We look forward to presenting our views in full cooperation with the excise appellate process.”

As per research firm IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, AB InBev is the second biggest player in India's $7 billion beer market, accounting for a 17.5% market share.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s leading brewer, has introduced its first non-alcohol beer, Budweiser 0.0, in India. With this, the company has forayed into the non-alcohol beer segment in the country.

The launch is in line with AB InBev’s Global Smart Drinking Goals to ensure that low and no-alcohol beer make up at least 20% of the company's global beer volume by 2025.

Ben Verhaert, President-South Asia at AB InBev, said, “Budweiser is one of the fastest-growing brands in the country and we are thrilled to add Budweiser 0.0 to our existing portfolio of brands here in India. While the market for non-alcohol beers is still nascent in India, as a leading brewer we see a great opportunity to grow this segment.”

“The launch is in line with our Global Smart Drinking Goals to ensure that low and no alcohol beer make up at least 20% of our global beer volume by 2025. Beer is a drink of moderation and our objective is to offer our consumers various choices to enjoy beer freely and responsibly,” he further stated.

Budweiser 0.0 will be priced at Rs 80 and Rs 90 for a 330ml Can and a 330 ml bottle, respectively.

Kartikeya Sharma, Vice President Marketing - South Asia, AB InBev, added, “We are deeply committed to making our patrons feel as included as possible by offering them avenues to enjoy the signature taste of the iconic Budweiser freely and responsibly. We are mindful of the growing demand for conscious choices and Budweiser 0.0, brewed with quality ingredients like all our beers globally, offers a great alternative. We are bullish on the future of this industry and look forward to witness what is in store for us.”

Kaitlyn’s Beer Garden has opened as Mumbai’s first-ever franchiseable micropub. Located in Bandra, Kaitlyn is serving classic pub-inspired food and drinks.

Dhanraj Shinde, Founder, Kaitlyn’s Beer Garden, said, “Mumbai was clearly lacking in places where people could have a conversation without shouting aloud. Earlier in the day, every person used to visit local area bars to eat and drink almost every day and everyone knew everyone around. They would have conversations and share experiences. It was a community.”

“We are very excited about giving Mumbai its first-ever micropub to bridge this gap and bring alive conversations and bonding. Small is definitely beautiful for us, and what better than a micropub which is like a local community bar to have a truly relaxing time by keeping things simple and easy to maintain and deliver an experience which people would love to enjoy every day,” he added.

Chef Karan Bane, who has curated Kaitlyn Beer Garden’s food menu, stated, “I wanted to create a menu combining some international flavours in classic pub dishes that will make people happy and come back for more.”

Craft beer company Bira 91, owned by B9 Beverages Pvt Ltd, has raised $4.3 million in its Pre-Series C round from Sixth Sense Ventures, the consumer-focused venture capital firm. The transaction has valued the company at $246 million.

Sixth Sense Ventures has been allotted five lakh Pre-Series C preference shares for Rs 30 crore.

So far, Bira 91 has raised $74 million in funding from angel investors including Bollywood bigwigs Farhan and Zoya Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, as well as prominent names in the tech sector like Flipkart’s Chief Executive Kalyan Krishnamurthy.

In April, Bira 91 entered into the mass beer market with the introduction of a sub-brand Boom. Presently, Boom is available in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

The company is expecting to expand its production footprint five-fold to 2,000,000 barrels before the summer of 2019, from its current capacity of 350,000 barrels. 

After completing a year of piloting the product in the National Capital of Delhi, Medusa Beverages, the manufacturers and distributors of Medusa brand of Premium Lager Beer, has entered new markets. The company has forayed into neighbouring markets of Punjab, UP, Chattisgarh and Chandigarh (UT) from the new financial year, starting April 1.

Medusa was launched in January 2018. It had produced three lakh cases of beer till March 31, 2019, with a turnover of Rs 70 crore.

Avneet Singh, Director and Founder, Medusa Beverages, said, “We have a capacity to produce one million cases a year. Medusa is a Premium strong lager with an alcoholic strength of 5.9%.”

Currently, Medusa is available in two SKUs, 650 ml bottle and 500 ml can. The company is planning to soon add three more SKUs, 330ml can, 550ml bottle, and 330ml bottle.

“We have a clear road map for market expansion to become a pan-India player in the next four to five years. We will enter three more states next year, and will have a pan-India presence in the next 5 years,” Singh further stated.

Diageo, the British multinational alcoholic beverage company, will remove plastic packaging from multipacks of its beer brands, including Guinness, Harp, and Smithwick’s.

The cardboard, which is 100% recyclable and biodegradable and is sustainably sourced, will replace the plastic ring carriers and shrink wrap.

This positive initiative that will cost Diageo 16 million pounds will be rolled out in phases. From August 2019, these new beer packs will be available in Ireland. It will further be made available in other international locations by the summer of 2020.

David Cutter, Chief Sustainability Officer and President, Global Supply and Procurement, Diageo, said, “Consumers expect our packs to look beautiful, be functional, and sustainable. I am proud to announce this investment, through which we have been able to combine all three.”

“We have been working tirelessly to make our packaging more environmentally friendly and I’m thrilled with this outcome for Guinness and our other global beer brands,” he added.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the world’s largest brewer, aims to launch two non-alcoholic beers in India. This move in line with the brand’s global push to provide more low- to non-alcoholic beverages to consumers all over the world.

India’s second largest beer company will be introducing the two products, namely Budweiser 0.0 and Hoegaarden 0.0, in the next three months.

Ben Verhaert, Business Unit President, South Asia, AB InBev, said, "For now, the products will be imported into India. Beer is a drink of moderation and as a beer company we need to be able to offer choices to consumers."

AB InBev sells brands like Budweiser, Corona, Knockout, and Beck’s Ice.

Verhaert stated, "The new launches are for those who don’t want to drink alcohol but want to socialize and that’s a way for them to be included in the beer category. However, the market for such drinks is still very small in India."

The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India has allowed craft breweries to continue making beer with higher yeast content.

The result has come as a huge relief for the microbreweries in the country.

FSSAI shared that regular beer or lager should be free of yeast while draught beer should have yeast content of at most 40 CFU (colony-forming units).

The notification had not put craft beer into a separate category, which had put the breweries in a tizzy as many craft beers have yeast content as high as 3 million CFU. "The Food Safety & Standards (Alcoholic Beverages) Regulations, 2018 will be implemented in effect from 1st April 2019, except the parameter for yeast in various categories of beer," said FSSAI in a notification on Friday.

The Craft Brewers Association of India (CBAI) had made a representation earlier this month that it was difficult to operate under the limits ordered by the regulator and wanted a clarification whether yeast was being classified as a contaminant or a raw material, one that is a basic ingredient in beer.

As part of the notification, the FSSAI also clarified that it will provide drinks makers another six months for use of old unused labels and printed cans. Following a directive last year, all liquor bottles were supposed to carry cautionary messages of "Drinking is injurious to health" and "Don't Drink and Drive" on their labels from April 1. "Alcoholic beverages manufactured prior to 1st April 2019 can be sold in the market up to 31st March 2020," FSSAI said.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) may permit craft breweries to make beer with higher yeast content than its newly prescribed norms, which come into effect from April 1.

Earlier this week, the scientific panel of the regulator had a meeting with Craft Brewers Association of India (CBAI). In this meeting, CBAI presented its views on the yeast count, saying it was difficult to operate under the limits ordered by the regulator and the new standards do not improve food safety for the consumer. FSSAI is concerned that the yeast count above the prescribed limit may make the beer unsafe.

In a gazette notification in 2018, FSSAI had said that regular beer or lager should be free of yeast while draught beer should have yeast content of at most 40 CFU (colony-forming units).

The meeting between the panel and CBAI had no outcome immediately, but the panel is expected to present its views soon.

Pawan Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer of FSSAI, said, "We will wait for the panel to make recommendations and till the time they do, craft brewers can continue producing a beer like they have been doing."

In order to reach out to more customers, Coolberg Beverages Pvt Ltd is planning enhanced market penetration.

Presently, the products of the company, which is into brewing and distribution of zero alcohol beer, are available in 30 key cities across India. These products sold at 2,000 outlets including restaurants and supermarkets. Coolberg is now planning to expand its reach 10 times.

Pankaj Aswani, Founder of Coolberg Beverages Pvt Ltd, said, "This year our target is to make products be made available at 20,000 outlets, which is a 10 times growth in market expansion. We want to penetrate deep into the markets we are already in. It helps in better distribution and efficient supply chain. Once we stabilise our operations in these markets, we will expand to new markets."

The Mumbai-based start-up entered into this business in 2016 for establishing a new beverage segment in the country. This segment was introduced with an aim to cater to the needs of youngsters who wants to socialise but stay away from alcoholic beverages.

"Coolberg was conceptualised looking at the needs of non-alcoholic consumers, I being one of them. There was a demand and it was met by imported stuff. We saw an opportunity in the non-alcoholic beer segment and entered this business. We are increasing production every month," Aswain added.

Hotels, restaurants and clubs have received the approval for operating microbreweries in the national capital.

In September 2018, DDA had invited suggestions and objections from the public on the proposal to amend the Master Plan for Delhi 2021 for allowing such breweries. On September 7, 2018, the proposal was approved in DDA’s meeting, led by LG Anil Baijal. Following this, the modification in the MPD was finally carried out and the notification has been published.

Rahul Singh, President of National Restaurant Association of India and Founder and CEO of Beer Café, said, "This clearance brings the spotlight Delhi deserves and will go a long way to promote tourism and experiential drinking for Delhites. We will be looking at extending the line with small batches of on-premise brewed beers which will be experimental."

Shriram Monga of SRED, a food and beverage advisory firm, stated, "There will be more options and the nightlife scene in Delhi will improve. It will give a boost to the real estate in restaurant hubs of the city such as CP, Nehru Place, Aerocity and Punjabi Bagh."

Global brewer Carlsberg has seen a 19% growth in its business by volume due to lower base and strong demand for the eponymous brand.

"Our Indian business had an excellent year following a challenging 2017 that was impacted by the highway ban, GST and tax increases. Our volumes grew by 19% and price mix was 7% due to the strong growth of the Carlsberg brand and improved pricing," Cees ’t HartGlobal CEO, Carlsberg shared on an investor call.

 In the last two years, there have been policy changes in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand to allow liquor sales only through government-owned corporations, similar to states such as Delhi, Rajasthan, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Supreme Court restrictions on the sale of alcohol near state and national highways led to the closure of about a third or about 30,000 of the country’s liquor vends, causing a drop in demand for beer and spirits. The court subsequently clarified its ruling, easing conditions for liquor sales and allowing many outlets to reopen.

The Danish brewer also mentioned that the profitability improved considerably due to the volume growth, positive price mix and supply chain efficiencies following the opening of the Karnataka brewery.

"At the moment the price mix is good. As we get the throughput of the volumes around breweries, the profitability improves. So where we were breakeven three years ago, we really now are in double digit EBIT margin position in India," Hart mentioned further.

Carlsberg, the world's third largest brewer, became profitable three years ago in India and expects profits to grow further.

The brewer has about 18% market share in India backed by Carlsberg Elephant and Tuborg in a market skewed towards strong beer segment that accounts for about 80% of the market. In India, Tuborg accounts for more than two-thirds of the company's annual sales.

Want to experience love at first sip? After announcing the launch of its beer Proost69 White Ale, Proost69 Mild Lager, Grano69 Beverages is coming up with Proost69 Weizen Beer and Proost69 Strong Lager.

With the prime motive to acquaint the consumers with what true, freshly brewed beer tastes like, the brand launched in Delhi in September 2018. The company brews its beers at world-class facilities at some of the best locations in Europe and is class-apart from the ones brewed in this part of the world. The brand has set its foot in the capital with renowned outlets like 100% Rock, Warehouse Café, The Beer Café, The Lord of the Drinks and more. 

The co-founder and director of Proost69, Tarun Bhargava, noticed the lack of a fresh tasting beer in the Indian market that had a superior taste yet was reasonably priced. That’s when he saw an opportunity and came up with the idea of making a beer with an exquisite and elite taste which was affordable and more approachable. 

“We, at Proost69, are excited to announce the launch of a beer with a taste so elite yet affordable filled with freshness and uniqueness. With our focus on providing and maintaining the top-notch quality, our flavour balances are just enough to create magic. All that goodness with supreme European craftsmanship is a level-up in itself,” says Tarun. 

A quality like that of Proost69 is sure to enthral the beer lovers in the country and have them coming back for more. The product packaging is its eye-catching trademark design, the mighty owl, absolutely fitting for the night-owl millennials today, across the world.

Proost 69 White Ale and Mild Lager available in Delhi are priced at Rs. 170 per pint and at Rs 150 for a 500ML can.

The White Ale is a blend of wheat brewed to perfection infused with notes of vanilla and orange zest; a perfect fit for a traditional wheat beer lover with its unique twist, all brought together with a hint of coriander. Bottle conditioned with ingredients that work all the time to keep the beer fresh, you just feel like popping one open any time of the day and savouring the fresh flavours.

The Mild Lager launched in November 2018 is manufactured using exquisite German craftsmanship and is perfect for a sub-tropical country like India.

Also being crafted and launched alongside is the Weizen variant, an authentic wheat beer with an infusion of citrus and fruity flavours with distinct notes of banana and mango. It’s truly one of its kinds. 

Completing the set would be a Strong Lager, set to launch in January 2019. It will change how beer lovers across the country perceive strong beers.  Contrary to the typical bitter tasting strong beers in India, this beer will have nothing but a premium and fresh mouthfeel with the high of a strong beer. 

With the growing beer-drinking population in India and the global exposure they have, these beers would end up being the perfect go-to beverage in the market. The brand is bullish about their prospects in the Indian market, and plan to expand to other markets over time.

The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has approved setting up of microbreweries in restaurants and bars situated in the national Capital.

Earlier, the new policy for the implementation of microbreweries could not be notified due to various reasons. But now, DDA has given its approval for the same and notified the new policy.

As per sources, "The restaurants, hotel or clubs will be allowed to set up the microbreweries up to 500 litres per day capacity. But at the same time restaurants, bars and hotels have to get the no-objection certificate (NOC) clearance/licences from the excise department before setting up the microbreweries."

Presently, there is only one microbrewery set up at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA).

Microbreweries are also known as organic beers. They are freshly brewed beer with different fruit flavours like strawberries, apple, and grapes. Microbreweries do not contain alcohol, chemical and preservatives, especially glycerin that is used in the packaged and beer cans.

An official said, "The Delhi Government has approved the proposal to set up the breweries in Delhi three years ago but it could not be implemented as the breweries were listed under the 'prohibited/negative' list of industries in the Master Plan of Delhi (MPD) 2021. However, on the request of the Government, Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal in December 2017 approved the Government's plea to remove microbreweries from the 'prohibited' list of the master plan. After which the DDA's technical committee approved the proposal in January 2018."

हैनिकन द्वारा नियंत्रित युनाइटेड  ब्रुरीज़ (यूबी) और हेनुअर बुश इनबेव भारत की दो सबसे बड़ी बियर निर्माता कम्पनीज़ अब मादक द्रव्य प्रतिबंधित राज्य गुजरात में गैर-मादक द्रव्यों को लेकर एक-दूसरे के विरुद्ध मैदान में उतरने वाली है। गुजरात राज्य में सन् 1960 से शराब के उत्पादन, बिक्री व सेवन पर रोक है।

दोनों  ब्रूअर्ज जल्द ही गुजरात के बाजार में गैर-मादक बियर के साथ उतरने वाले हैं। युनाइटेड  ब्रुरीज़ इस सप्ताह तक ‘किंगफिशर रेडलर’ नाम से गुजरात में धावा बोलेगी, तो एबी इनबेव की इस रेस में कुछ महीने बाद जुड़ने की संभावना है।   

यूबी के मुख्य बिजनेस अफसर रमेश विश्वनाथन ने बताया, "गुजरात के बाजार में इस तरह के उत्पाद के लिए बहुत संभावनाएं है, क्योंकि यहां इस तरह के उत्पाद उपलब्ध ही नहीं है। 

यूबी का ‘किंगफिशर रेडलर’ ताजे जौ मिले दूध और नींबू के रस से मिलकर बना है। 

विश्वनाथ ने आगे कहा, "देश का यह पश्चिमी राज्य गैर-मादक बियर के सबसे बड़े बाज़ारों में से एक है और यहां मुख्यत: व्यापारी और आयतक ही अपनी सेवाएं दे रहे हैं। फिलहाल यह बाज़ार सिर्फ आयतित उत्पादों का है, महंगा है, छिन्न-विछिन्न है और इसे कोई संभाल भी नहीं मिली हुई है। सबसे बड़ी बात कि जिसका स्वाद लोगों को रास नहीं, वो बियर मिल रही है।

एबी इनबेव के निदेशक बेन वरहार्ट ने कहा कि हम विश्व के दूसरे सबसे बड़े उपभोक्ता समूह को लिए भारत में गैर-मादक बियर के लिए एक बहुत बड़ा बाजार देखते हैं, क्योंकि यहां कई कारणों से मादक द्रव्यों से परहेज़ भी बहुत अधिक है। हमारा उदेश्य इस बाज़ार को एक दिशा देना है, जहां उपभोक्ता को उसके चुनाव एवं वरीयता के अनुसार शामिल किया जा सके। 

Heineken-controlled United Breweries and Anheuser-Busch InBev, India's two largest beer makers, will soon be in a battle over non-alcoholic drinks in the dry state of Gujarat. In Gujarat, the making, selling and drinking of alcohol is banned since 1960.

The two brewers will soon enter Gujarat with non-alcoholic beer. UB will foray into the dry state with non-alcoholic beer Kingfisher Radler this week, while AB InBev is expected to join the race in a couple of months.

Ramesh Visvanathan, Chief New Business Officer at UB, said, "Gujarat is an opportunity market for this product as it’s a state with no access to alcoholic drinks." 

UB's Kingfisher Radler is made of fresh barley malts and natural lemon juice.

"The western state is one of the largest non-alcoholic beer markets in the country, served mostly by drinks sold by traders and importers. The current products in the market are imported, expensive, sparsely distributed and not supported. Above all, they have a beer taste which people don’t want," Visvanathan added.

Ben Verhaert, President – India at AB InBev, said, "We see non-alcoholic beer as an opportunity for the beer category to offer choice in India, which is the second largest consumer base in the world where the level of abstinence is high for various reasons. Our intent is to shape the category by making it a more inclusive place for consumers with diverse choices and preferences."

After the successful launch of HAPPY by Thirsty, an European lager, specially brewed to be uplifting, balanced and refreshing, Thirsty Beers has come up with their second product , Thirsty SIMONA, a more traditional German Hefeweizen for an evolved palate.

Brewed and bottled in Bosnia & Herzegovina, Thirsty SIMONA is a premium wheat beer offering, developed by Alex Barlow, their UK brewmaster and brewed using pure wheat malts and live yeast.

Inspired by the 1920’s heiress, a lady of grace, a grand hostess whose party never ends.  Frenetic dancing, polished floors, the perfect rift from the jazz quartet. And then suddenly the crowd parts as if by magic, and you see her.

Alluring, Smooth, Spicy and Unattainable.  The bear can be best illustrated in “As you follow her through the night, you know you’ll always be thirsty.”

Cost of Beer in Maharashtra increasing from today as excise duty on Mild and strong beer rise by 25% and 35%. The average price of Mild beer (330ML) rises by Rs 3 and strong by 4.5. Excise duty on beer is calculated on manufacturing cost. The selling price is derived after adding VAT which is 35% in Maharashtra.

Excise official said “Earlier, 150% of the manufacturing cost or Rs 33 per bulk litre, whichever is higher, was the formula for imposing excise duty on mild beer. This has been changed to 175% of the manufacturing cost or Rs 42 per bulk litre, whichever is higher. For strong beer, the previous excise formula was 200% of the manufacturing cost or Rs 60 per bulk litre, which has now been changed to 235 % of manufacturing cost or Rs 80 per bulk litre. Beer prices differ from brand to brand. The figures (cited above) are averages based on back-of-the-envelope calculations. The exact rise for each brand will be known in a day or so.”

The excise hikes on beer will increase the annual revenue of the excise department by Rs 150 crore. The annual sale of beer in Maharashtra is around 33 crore litres. The department’s revenue in the last fiscal was Rs 12,288 crore, which is targeted at Rs 14,000 crore this financial year.

After the Supreme Court’s mid-December judgement, several companies chose channel de-stocking as there wasn’t enough clarity on the implementation, which in turn hurt their January-March sales even as nearly 30,000 shops were shut in April.

Danish brewer Carlsberg’s India business dragged down volume growth in Asia region. But for India volume, the region would have grown 2%, the company said.

Cees't Hart, CEO, Carlsberg, said, "The totality of Asia (business) has, let’s say, declined or contracted a bit because of India. So, despite a good start in all the other countries, in India, because of the implication of the highway ban, we had a negative double-digit volume decline. So, it’s mainly India which impacts the performance in Asia in Q1."

The maker of eponymous lager and Tuborg saw Indian volume decline almost 20%, a steep fall from about 15-20% growth it has been posting for nearly a decade.

The world’s third largest brewer said it expects a volatile year in India with a hit in the first half of the calendar year in India due to the combination of closing, relocating and de-stocking.

Hart added, "What we see is a lot of creativity in India on how to mitigate this for, first of all, the states and secondly for local entrepreneurs. We don’t see a lower demand."

Michael Jensen, CEO, Carlsberg India, said, "It is very detrimental for investor confidence."

India’s beer sales fell 2% in the year to March 2017. Yet, the industry expects to grow 5-7% during the fiscal on the back of new launches.

Anand Kripalu, CEO, United Spirits, said, "We expect the impact to be mitigated eventually and where it doesn’t, consumption will shift to other outlets."

Heineken, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Carlsberg are collectively introducing about a dozen new beer brands in India to slake the thirst of its summer-singed consumers.

For the world’s top three brewers, which together control about 90 per cent of India’s beer market, new products could be the recipe for fending off an unhealthy cocktail of sales bans, shrinking store networks, and stagnant demand in a warm, tropical country with promising demographics and increasing affluence.

India’s beer sales fell 2 per cent in the year to March 2017, but companies expect the segment to expand 5-7 per cent in the current fiscal, driven by premium products.

Skekhar Ramamurthy, Managing Director, United Breweries (UB), said, "We need to strengthen our portfolio because consumers want to choose, and we want to be a part of their choice. In the next six months, we will come up with two strong beer brands in the premium segment, and an interesting portfolio of imported brands in the next six weeks."

He added, "Then some more are being developed in India in the premium segment to further strengthen our market leadership. Kingfisher will continue to be our lead brand."

AB InBev, the maker of Budweiser and Fosters, said consumer sentiment continues to stay positive and its portfolio expansion will help re-stimulate growth.

Kartikeya Sharma, Marketing Director, AB InBev, India and South-East Asia, said, "The trend of consumers trading up has never been stronger in the country and the premium segment has been unaffected by the slowdown."

Apart from mainstream beer brands, experts believe the market could see a slew of new launches in the craft beer segment, an expanding niche.

Rahul Singh, who owns 40 beer cafes across 12 cities, said, "We expect at least 20 new beers to be launched in the fiscal, as there is interest from Canada, New Zealand, Lithuania, and even Iceland."

With the aim of helping the bar and restaurant owners rapidly fill pitchers of best-selling brews on busy nights, Elanpro has introduced Ice Fall Tower an illuminated draft beer tower to dispense cold beer from the pre chiller. The energy efficient product provides an eye catching LED display along with freeze tower solution. A financially responsible and customer centric product, Ice Fall Tower by Elanpro is easy to maintain.

Ice Fall Tower is a compact device for manual dispensing of foamy beverages. The cutting edge design of the product enables creation of ice on the tower which gives an eye catching frosted glass effect.

Designed to work in harsh and humid conditions of India, the product is available in one to six tap configuration. Precision is engineered exclusively to further enhance the most efficient operation. The product is also equipped with user friendly features like control panel for various ice layers features and is easy to maintain. Ice Fall Tower offers simple and effective branding solutions along with a successful pour.

Elanpro aims at providing quality draft beer equipment, draft beer towers, draft beer dispensing systems and more. The company is committed to providing its customers with all beverage dispensing solutions apart from innovative products. The budget friendly Ice Fall Tower is now available at all Elanpro Experience Centers and dealer stores.

Molson Coors India Pvt Ltd., the Indian subsidiary of leading global brewer Molson Coors Brewing Company, today announced a new brand packaging for Thunderbolt, one of the leading strong beer brands in India. The new look of the bottle and the new typography Thunderbolt in bold and upper case stands for confident, fresh and strong, embodying the brand image.The newly designed pack is available across Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh from June 2016.

This redesign will include a new look bottle, a change in visual identity and a new logo. The new look will have thunderbolt labels on the body and neck of the bottle in mono-colour (blue) with white typography that will be visually appealing when the bottles are lined up.

Ashish Kapoor, President of Molson Coors in India said, “Packaging is a valuable visual identity which connects to the consumer, and the heart of the repackaging strategy was to create a stronger connect with our consumers. We decided to create a look which was more effective on the shelf, appealing to our consumers and gave us competitive advantage.”

Kapoor further added, “The new packaging is an embodiment of our brand and how we plan to connect it to our consumer. Packaging is about the look and feel of the brand, it’s about bringing an experience to our customers.”

Produced in emerald green glass, the new Thunderbolt bottle features an instantly iconic debossed, shield-shaped label panel adorned with the familiar Thunderbolt silver and blue logo. The angular and aggressive shoulder construction displays an embossed lettering wrap that spells out the Thunderbolt brand name including a lightning emblem within the letter ‘O’. The new Thunderbolt pack (650ml glass bottle) is available across Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh.

Sale of liquor in plastic bottles has been banned in Maharashtra with effect from 1st April this year, fearing it might harm the health of consumers, the state government has told the Bombay High Court.

Government Resolution to this effect was issued on 11th January 2016, a pleader representing the state informed the bench headed by Justice V M Kanade which yesterday heard a public interest litigation seeking a ban on sale of liquor in polyethylene terephthalate bottles or plastic bottles, reported PTI.

Accordingly the bench disposed of the PIL filed by Global Enviro Solutions, an NGO, saying that nothing survived in the PIL as the government had banned sale of liquor in plastic bottles. The PIL alleged that plastic material was soluble and migrated into the stored alcohol causing cancer to consumers.

The petition said that no time limit or expiry date was mentioned on the plastic bottles, and added that liquor becomes carcinogenic when stored in plastic bottles. The petitioner produced reports of National Test House, a government lab, to show that antimony (poisonous chemical) increases when liquor was stored in plastic bottles.

Sanjay Gorwardkar and Sadhna Mahashabde, lawyers for Global Enviro Solutions, said that the Centre needs to consider the reports that the petitioners had produced, which point to the dangers of such plastic packaging for liquor.

Milind Sathe, the senior counsel representing bottle manufacturers, argued that Union government has constituted an expert committee comprising scientists to examine the effect of liquor or medicine storage in plastic bottles.

He said that the Centre has already notified draft plastic disposal rules which would take care of the activists' concern about improper disposal.

In the meantime, during the course of hearing of PIL, the petitioner submitted a representation to the state government which issued the GR last month to ban the sale of liquor in plastic bottles.

United Breweries is looking to introduce its malt-based ready-to -drink (RTD) beverage 'Kingfisher Buzz’, which is launched recently in all major cities of the country by this year end.

Currently, Kingfisher Buzz is available in two flavours berry and lychee in Mumbai, Pune and Thane. The company plans to add more flavours to expand its portfolio in the segment, reported PTI.

"In the next few days, we will be launching in Bengaluru and Goa, followed by Delhi. Over the next 12 months, Buzz would be made available across all major cities and towns in India," said Samar Singh Sheikhawat, UBL Senior VP Marketing. Kingfisher Buzz would be in direct competition with Bacardi Breezer, which is a market leader in the segment.

"The introduction of Buzz marks UBL's latest efforts in product innovation, and is an extension of the company's portfolio that caters to even non-beer drinkers. We have launched Buzz with the intention of extending our product portfolio and are expanding our customer base to make a steady impact in the RTD segment," Sheikhawat said.

Over expansion of Buzz in other flavours, Sheikhawat said, "This category demands the introduction of new flavours and we have concrete plans of introducing new variants in the coming months. Our product development team is constantly innovating and we have some exciting flavours in the pipeline.

The estimated market size of RTD is of around two million cases and the segment has an annual growth of around 11-12 per cent.

"Kingfisher Buzz is targeted at urban young men and women, who are above the legal drinking age, and are looking for a differentiated alcobev experience," he said adding that the Buzz's packaging is young and edgy, which makes it ideal go-to drink for our target audience.

United Spirits Ltd (USL) said it has received shareholders' nod to issue a guarantee to a bank for loan of up to Rs 100 crore to be a availed by its subsidiary Pioneer Distillers, reported PTI.

United Spirits said the resolution for consent approval of the shareholders to give guarantee and/or provide security for a bank loan of up to Rs 100 crore to be availed by its subsidiary Pioneer Distillers Ltd from Standard Chartered or such other banks and was passed with a majority, in a filing to NSE.

As many as 99.5 per cent of votes polled were in favour of the resolution, said the company.

Last month, Diageo-owned United Spirits sought approval from its shareholders to report sick to BIFR as its accumulated losses as on March 31 touched 86 per cent of peak net worth during the past four fiscal years.

As per the Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985 (SICA), if the accumulated losses of a company, at the end of any financial year have resulted in erosion of 50 per cent or more of its peak net worth during the preceding four financial years, such firm is required to report to the Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR).

United Spirits said in a notice to the shareholders for an EGM on January 22,  as per the audited annual accounts for the fiscal ended March 31, "the accumulated losses of the company as at March 31, 2015 is 86 per cent of its peak net worth during the four financial years preceding the financial year ended March 31, 2015".

"Accordingly, this extraordinary general meeting (EGM) is being convened to consider and approve the enclosed report of the Board of Directors on such erosion and its causes, and the measures being taken as per the relevant provisions of SICA, and also to approve the reporting of such erosion to BIFR in terms of Section 23 of SICA," it added.

The company said its accumulated losses as on March 31, at Rs 5,045.45 crore is greater than 50 per cent of the peak net worth in the immediately preceding four financial years at Rs 5,849.62 crore.