Myths around association of Coronavirus with Corona Beer Busted

Medusa Beverages, one of India’s fastest-growing beer brands, has officially expanded its footprint into Haryana, marking a significant milestone in its growth journey across India. With this launch, Medusa continues its vision of making premium, easy-drinking beers accessible to a wider consumer base.

Medusa has launched its main product, Medusa Premium Beer, as part of the rollout. Other varieties include Medusa Air and House of the Dragon in Haryana. 

At present, Medusa beers can be found in prominent bars, restaurants, and liquor stores in key cities including Gurgaon, Faridabad, Panipat, Karnal, Hisar, and Ambala, among other retail locations and on-trade partners.

Speaking on the expansion, Avneet Singh, Founder and CEO of Medusa Beverages, said, “Haryana represents an important market in our north India expansion strategy, not just because of its proximity to our stronghold in Delhi-NCR, but also due to its fast-evolving consumer landscape. Cities like Gurgaon and Faridabad are hubs of youth culture, nightlife, and changing lifestyle preferences — which aligns perfectly with what Medusa stands for.” 

“Our vision is to cater to consumers who resonate with bold, modern India, and we believe Haryana is ready for a brand like Medusa that brings together quality, design, and culture. This is just the beginning of an exciting journey,” added Singh.

Since its launch, Medusa Beverages has gained quickly and is now the preferred option for customers in several important northern states. The company's dedication to scaling sustainably while keeping a laser-like focus on community, quality, and customer involvement is furthered by the Haryana launch.

ICB-Indian Craft Brewery is the newest microbrewery in Bengaluru. Spread across two acres, ICB's 1,500-seater microbrewery located near Manyata Tech Park Nagavara, Bengaluru.

Inspired by India's ancient brewing traditions, local ingredients, and rich culinary flavors, the microbrewery offers a distinctively Indian food and beverage experience that distinguishes it from other microbreweries in the country.

To drive beer innovations, the microbrewery has established a dedicated research and development (R&D) center in Belgium. Antonio Rodriguez-Giralt, a renowned name in the world of brewing, is the master brewer who crafts its beers, and one of its signature brews will be a line of premium non-alcoholic beers called Ramanujan, which pays tribute to India's renowned math genius.

 “ICB-Indian Craft Brewery is a groundbreaking endeavor to reinvent the craft beer experience in India by connecting with our country’s roots and our rich cultural and culinary heritage. With our dedicated craftsmanship and a team of seasoned brewmasters, including a master brewer from Costa Rica, and culinary experts, including a former master chef at ITC Hotels’s flagship restaurant, we've perfected the art of creating unique flavors and experiences that are global and yet deeply rooted in India’s rich history and are truly a class apart from what any other microbrewery in India offers," commented Gopi Chand Cherukuri, Co- Founder, ICB-Indian Craft Brewery.

The brand plans to open the second outlet in January. Given that ICB will also function as a distinctive cultural hub for indulging in and enjoying uncommon Indian food experiences, the brewery's opening sets a new standard in Bengaluru's renowned beer and dining scene. 

American Crafts Pvt Ltd (ABCL), one of the leading brewing company has announced its recent acquisition of Denzong Brewery located in Odisha, India. 

ABCL intends to invest upwards of Rs. 80 Crore for the acquisition and renovation of the brewery.  The brewery has a capacity to produce 2 Lakh cases of beer per month. This will augment the owned capacity installation for American Brew Crafts Pvt Ltd the brewers of award-winning Flying Monkey, Blockbuster, and Karjura range of beer to 8 Lakh Cases per month. 

This strategic move marks a significant milestone for ABCL and facilitates the expansion of its footprint in East & Northeast India, further solidifying its commitment to delivering high-quality craft beers to beer connoisseurs nationwide. 

“We are thrilled to strengthen our presence with the addition of Denzong Brewery into the American Brew Crafts family. The acquisition will help us expand our production capacity and cater to the increasing consumer demand across the region. This will also play a critical role in expanding our reach in the East and Northeastern parts of the Country,” shared Sri Nagendra Tayi, Director and Chief Executive Officer of American Brew Crafts Pvt Ltd.

The acquisition seamlessly aligns with ABCL's vision of growth and innovation, propelling the company forward in the dynamic craft beer industry. ABCL ensures quality and consistency by producing beer in small batches. Each batch undergoes meticulous research and is crafted using carefully selected premium malts and hops to ensure a remarkable flavor profile. With this acquisition, ABCL will now operate three state-of-the-art breweries equipped with the latest German Technology located in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha to provide the best brews and maintain a consistent and regular supply across the geographies of operation. 

Proost Beer, a rising star in India’s beer industry, has closed its Pre-Series A funding round securing a significant INR 25 crore in through a mix of Equity and Debt. 

This substantial investment, backed by a blend of existing and new investors including Chimes Group, Dev Punj, The Chennai Angels, Finvolve, India Accelerator, Hyderabad Angels, Mumbai Angels, Angel List India, and Agility Venture, positions the company for robust growth.

The fresh infusion of funds will play a pivotal role in Proost Beer's strategic expansion plans. Operating under the umbrella of Grano69 Beverages Pvt. Ltd in Delhi, the startup enjoys a strong presence in Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala retail outlets selling an impressive 9 units of beer every minute.

“The successful conclusion of this funding round empowers us to enhance our production capabilities and venture into new markets. We are highly optimistic about the industry's growth potential, driven by the increasing consumer appetite for innovative, high-quality products. With this funding, we anticipate achieving a remarkable 300% growth,” shared Vijay P. Sharma, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Proost Beer.

Established in 2017, Proost Beer is on a mission to capture a substantial 5%+ share of the rapidly expanding Indian Beer Market by the end of this decade. In an ever-evolving beer landscape, Proost has emerged as a distinguished player committed to revolutionizing the consumer experience with its range of mass premium and affordable beers.

“We are thrilled to see the strong vote of confidence from both our existing and new investors. This endorsement underscores the strength of our business and sets the stage for the next phase of growth for Proost Beer,” added Tarun Bhargava, Co-Founder & CEO of Proost Beer.

Known for its unwavering commitment to quality and a deep passion for the art of brewing, Proost Beer offers a curated selection of beers, with its flagship product, Proost Strong beer, leading the way. Brewed with precision and care, Proost Beer proudly sources most of its raw materials locally and is proudly 100% made in India.

With this substantial pre-Series A funding, Proost Beer is primed to disrupt the Indian beer market and achieve a dominant position by the end of the decade. Cheers to Proost's journey towards industry dominance.

Bira 91 announced that its Mysuru brewery has achieved carbon neutrality, making it the first Net Zero brewery in India.

This  reflects Bira 91's commitment to sustainability and its  efforts to become the country's first Net-Zero beer company by 2025, as part of its "Mission To Zero" campaign.

Bira 91 implemented an action plan to decrease energy consumption and shift towards using 100% clean, renewable energy at its biggest brewery in Mysuru.

As a result, the company successfully reduced its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by a substantial amount to reach this important achievement.

The assessment was done in compliance with global ISO 14064 standards, GHG Protocol and ISAE 3410.

“We embarked on the Net-Zero journey a few years back and I am extremely proud that Mysuru Brewery has set a major milestone by becoming India’s first Net-Zero brewery. With a significant manufacturing footprint in India, we feel that we have the responsibility and opportunity to be stewards in the area of carbon neutrality and inspire all manufacturing companies in India to achieve Net Zero”, said Ankur Jain, Founder and CEO, B9 Beverages

Last year, Bira 91 launched its "Mission to Zero" campaign as part of its sustainability efforts.

The initiative involves four main goals, including the transition to 100% clean energy, a 60% reduction in energy consumption, a 50% reduction in water usage, and the elimination of waste destined for landfills from all of its breweries by 2025.

The foundation of this initiative stems from the partnership between Kirin Holdings and B9 Beverages, which led to the establishment of the B9-Kirin Centre for Sustainable Growth.

 The center has a primary focus on environmental sustainability and business synergies and has initiated the Net Zero project to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.

 “Our partnership with Bira 91 over the past few years is a testament to this vision. By sharing our expertise in innovation and sustainable practices, we have been able to craft the highest quality, sustainable products together.” said Hiromasa Honda, Managing Director, Kirin Holdings Singapore,

Bira 91's Mission to Zero has been primarily focused on enhancing the efficiency of its manufacturing processes to reduce energy consumption in its breweries.

The company has achieved this through automation and the utilization of renewable energy sources such as solar, hydroelectricity, and wind power.

The facility has also made impressive strides in water conservation by saving 31 million litres of water, equivalent to over 120 million glasses.

In addition, Bira 91 has planted more than 500 trees of local varieties on its premises, serving as a natural carbon sink for the community. As a result of these efforts, the brewery has achieved its Net Zero milestone several years ahead of its global peers in the sector.

American Brew Crafts Pvt Ltd (ABCL) has entered Jharkhand by launching its award-winning BLOCKBUSTER beer for discerning customers.

ABCL has chosen Jharkhand as its next destination and the gateway to expansion in East and northeast India.

The range of BlockBuster beer currently available in Jharkhand includes Lager, and Strong. 

Blockbuster beer, also introduced its fresh new look and attractive packaging with vibrant colors and designs for all the variants to appeal to the modern-day customer.

The new brand identity is also a reflection of ABC’s idolizing the common man and his daily aspirations to enjoy, chill and have a happy life. The beer on the bottle represents a simple guy who is comfortable & contended in his space and is taking on life as it comes.

American Brew Crafts makes its own beer at two state-of-art breweries equipped with the latest German machinery. They prefer to make the beer in small batches giving enough attention and focus to the recipe of each beer.

This process also allows them to keep control over the quality of the drink without compromising on the taste. BlockBuster beer is a result of rigorous research on the supreme quality beer brewed with carefully selected finest malts and hops to ensure the perfect flavor. BlockBuster beer is available in 330, 650 ml bottles, and 500 ml cans.

“We are ecstatic to bring BlockBuster to the beer-loving population in Jharkhand.  We understand that Beer is one of the most preferred drinks in the state and we hope BlockBuster will find its place of prominence. We have aggressive plans to expand our reach and portfolio of brews for discerning beer lovers.  Besides the variants Lager, Strong, Ultra Lager, and Ultra Strong, our mission is to infuse the market with more and more variants of beer so that beer lovers can experience the best and most innovative beer brews,” shared Nagendra Tayi, Chief Executive Officer, American Brew Crafts Pvt Ltd.

The National Company Law Appellate Tribunal on Friday upheld the Rs 873-crore penalty imposed by fair trade regulator CCI on UBL and other beer makers.

The appellants "had already conceded in the leniency application to their role in the cartelization," a two-member panel stated after reviewing the papers and taking the arguments into account.

The NCLAT stated in reference to the group of petitions submitted to the CCI by the beer manufacturers asking for a decrease in penalty: "A lesser penalty application is like an admission of guilt in a cartel."

The two-member bench, made up of Justices Rakesh Kumar and Ashok Kumar Mishra, stated that once they had acknowledged their involvement in an application filed under Section 46 read with Regulation 5, they were only permitted to contest the imposition of a penalty.

On September 24, 2021, the Competition Commission of India fined UBL, Carlsberg India, the All India Brewers' Association, and 11 people a combined sum of about Rs 873 crore for cartelization in the sale and supply of beer.

The aforementioned order was contested in front of the NCLAT, which has appellate jurisdiction over the CCI with regard to any directives issued, judgements rendered, or orders passed by the regulator. The NCLAT also rejected the beer manufacturers' arguments that a CCI order can be overturned without a judicial member present and simply needs to be noted for its rejection.

NCLAT, however, rejected it and noted "Nowhere does it state that CCI must include a member of the judiciary. The addition of a judicial member to decide the process is not contemplated by the Competition Act."

Gopal Subramaniam, a senior attorney representing the beer company, said that the order building a prima facie case and initiating an investigation on the basis of a leniency application was invalid. The CCI had rejected their requests for leniency.

Regarding the severity of the penalty, NCLAT stated that it is clear that, despite the CCI's discretion to impose a fine up to 10% of the average turnover for the previous three fiscal years, in the present case, in addition to granting the benefit of the doubt on the leniency application, the CCI has also adopted a lenient stance. The amount of the fine was calculated as follows: 0.5 times profit for each year the cartel persisted, or 2% of total revenue for each year the cartel persisted, whichever was higher.

With Carlsberg India joining in from 2012 and AIBA acting as a forum for supporting such cartelization from 2013, the era of cartelization was deemed to span from 2009 to at least October 10, 2018. Before the regulator, all three beer businesses submitted applications for reduced penalties.

Beer brand Bira 91 has partnered with Japan’s Far Yeast Brewing Company to launch its first Gose style beer, Yuzu Gose Sour.

Traditionally, a Gose-style beer is a wheat beer which features low hop bitterness and refreshing crispness.

“We are extremely excited to partner with Far Yeast Brewing Company, and launch the Yuzu Gose Sour, a beer that is a unique blend of Indian and Japanese flavors. This collaboration brings together Bira 91 and Far Yeast Brewery’s passion for experimenting with new beer styles and our brewer’s relentless pursuit to continue innovating and bringing diverse flavors to consumers,’ shared Deepak Sinha, VP, Marketing, Bira 91.

The ‘Yuzu Gose Sour’ has been brewed from a combination of flavors of Himalayan Pink Salt sourced from India and the peel of Yuzu, a traditional Japanese citrus fruit cultivated in Japan’s Kochi Prefecture region and is used to make Kagua – a popular Japanese ale.

“Beer/Craft Beer culture is similar in Indian and Japan in a sense that, we are both uniquely innovating the craft beer culture from USA. We are both the leaders of this new world. I wish that this cross collaboration will be the first step to elevate the unique craft beer culture in the new world,” added Shiro Yamada, CEO, Far Yeast Brewery.

The beer is dropping at the Bira 91 Limited Release Taproom in Koramangala, Bangalore today, 2^nd June 2022.

Vir Das, India's one of the biggest comedian is now all set to soar our spirits even higher. This time alongside his comedy bits on stage, one will now be able to enjoy a light and crisp beer called Faaaakit, which is being brewed and distributed by one of India’s most innovative craft breweries - Great State Aleworks.

The team along with Vir, spent over a year to find the perfect blend of flavours before the final brew was locked in.

“Our motto was to spread happiness. And after a maybe stressful day you might want to literally say FaaaakIt and have a can of beer to unwind yourself. Also we wanted the beer to be for everyone, far often brands tend to alienate beer drinkers like the younger demographics or even women, and we wanted this to be for everyone. The team at Great State Aleworks and I spent a good deal of time finding a flavour profile that can be enjoyed by all,” shared Vir.

Currently the beer will be available across Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad.

In terms of a flavour profile, the beer is a clean, crisp and easy drinking beer with low bitterness and a fruity & dry finish.

Country’s biggest brewer that sells Kingfisher,appoints Rishi Pardal as the new CEO and managing director. The new MD will suceed Shekhar Ramamurthy(58), who was with UB group for 31 years, of which he spent last five years as its CEO and MD.

As per the latest reports, Pardal will join UB on June 12 in preparation to take charge from Ramamurthy and familiarise with the business. He will hold office as MD for a period of five years which will be extendable based on approval of the shareholders thereafter.

Some Facts about the new MD of United Breweries

Prior to this, Pardal’s was the Vice President and General Manager at Avery Dennison Corporation, a Fortune 500 Company based out of Hong Kong. Before this role, he was the MD of Marico Bangladesh, following a 14-year career in sales and management roles with Hindustan Unilever. Pardal has studied from Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi.

As per reports, Heineken-controlled UB had reported a net profit decline of 2.56% at Rs 106.37 crore for the third quarter that ended in December, while net sales was impacted by economic slowdown and new excise policy in Andhra Pradesh. In such a scenario, it would be interesting to note the kind of positive changes that will be brought along by Pardal.

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.

Dutch beermaker Heineken has decided to invest $3.1 billion to earn stake in China's top brewer, marking its entry in Asian giant's booming and hotly contested market, the two groups announced Friday.

Heineken has signed a "non-binding" agreement with China Resources Beer to acquire 40 percent of CRH, the listed entity controlling the Chinese group, for a total of 24.35 billion Hong Kong dollars, according to a statement.

In return, China Resources Beer will buy a 0.9 percent stake in Heineken for 464 million euros ($537 million).

The Dutch firm, which operates three breweries in the country, will merge its operations in China with those of its new partner.

Heineken will also grant its partner permission to market its eponymous beer brand in the country.

The deal allows Beijing-based China Resources Beer, known above all for low-cost brands like Snow Beer, to add a well-known premium brand to its line-up.

The merger of Heineken and its Chinese partner signals the growing competition in the Chinese market, with consumers turning towards foreign beers and better quality products as middle class incomes rise.

China market which is dominated by local brewers has three Chinese groups controlling more than 40 percent of the market, according to figures from Euromonitor International cited by Bloomberg News.

China Resources recently controlled 18 percent of the country's beer sales, followed by number two competitor Tsingtao.

The inclusion of Denmark's Carlsberg and Belgium's AB Inbev are putting pressure on prices and lowering margins, intensifying the rivalries between international giants. The pressure has prompted certain foreign groups to withdraw, including Japan's Asahi.

China, the world's largest market for beer production, "is forecast to be the biggest contributor to premium volume growth in the next five years, driven by its rapidly growing middle class," Heineken said in its release.

CEO Jean-Francois van Boxmeer praised the "winning combination" of Heineken's "strong brand" and China Resources Beer's extensive distribution network in the country.

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."