New Delhi: In a video interview, Amar Sinha, the COO of Radico Khaitan Ltd, pointed out that the Indian alcohol and beverage (alcobev) industry is slowly but surely gaining global prominence. “We have managed to achieve this with our quality and innovation,” says a proud Sinha. He highlighted the achievements of his company, reiterated the growth story of the entire industry, and pointed towards how Indian brands are breaking stereotypes and entering international markets, driven by premiumisation trends and a rising demand for homegrown spirits.
Here are a few takeaways from Sinha’s interaction.
On the big alcobev boom
Alcobev is the most interesting space to be in today because India is going through a transformation. Everything that has been produced in our country is being acknowledged across the world. I would give a lot of credit for this to the current dispensation. They have encouraged industries to come forward and showcase their products not only in India but across the globe. For me, ‘Vocal for Local’ and ‘Make in India’ are not just any slogans, but key differentiators. They have worked like magic for the entire alcohol beverage industry in India.
If you go back ten years, no one could have imagined that Indian products would be appreciated so much across the world. But today, I feel proud to say that Indian brands are not only recognised globally but they also rank amongst the top five or 10 in the world. For example, we have the Rampur Indian Single Malt, one of India’s frontrunners in the Single Malt category. We also have a brand called Jaisalmer, the Indian craft gin, which is the best produced out of Asia. These two brands are winning accolades across the globe. They are competing with the best international brands but are holding their own. This is what makes us all proud.
India is transforming, and our products are being accepted worldwide. Take the blended whiskey, Royal Ranthambore, as another example of a fine product made in India. We are following the premiumisation journey that continues to grow at a rapid pace.
The alcobev industry in India is on a growth incline, growing at a double digit rate. This is also the first time that we find the Indian market crossing the 400-million cases mark. There are many reasons for this boom. We see that the government approach to this industry has also changed. The industry generates revenue to the tune of three lakh crore for the government so obviously most state economies are also giving preference to alcohol beverage companies.
It’s a great time and the industry is very happy with the encouragement they have received from the government.
On premiumisation being key
Radico Khaitan is right now the largest Indian alcobev company. When you are talking about premiumisation, we have a lot to unveil. In fact, the world is waiting to be a surprised by all the innovative products that we have in the pipeline. In the white category space, Radico is very clearly the leader with over 60 per cent market share (through our Magic Moments vodka) and we are working towards taking another leap in the luxury and premium vodka segment. This is going to be one of its kind. We also have some plans in the premium whiskey segment in the times ahead.
On the milestones of the company
Radico has grown faster than the industry in 2024. In the last quarter itself our revenues have grown significantly and premium brands have contributed to at least 70 per cent by value. Going by this trend, we will continue to grow at a healthy rate before the year end and we hope to carry this forward in the years to come. This is because premiumisation is the journey that we are following and that will keep the growth rate stable.
On international footprint growing
Basically, today we have representation in more than 100 countries. Indian products like Rampur Indian single malt and Jaisalmer Indian crafted gin are brands across the global travel retail (they have made their presence felt in around 30-40 countries where there is demand for premium and luxury products). The brands are gaining recognition and we are planning to only move forward with this growth story.
On his vision for 2025
Today, we have emerged as the single largest profitable alcobev company from India. Although, we need to become stronger in the global market, at Radico Khaitan we consider ourselves as being right up there (we would rank among the top 3 including foreign players). The company is doing well at the moment and this growth will be seen in the next couple of years too.
The Indian alcohol and beverage (alcobev) industry is witnessing a robust growth and Radico Khaitan Limited is spearheading this development. On the sidelines of a Golf Tournament held recently, Amar Sinha, the Chief Operating Officer of the company, spoke about the ‘premiumisation’ journey, evolving consumer preferences, and the industry’s efforts to focus on luxury and premium products, putting India on the global alcobev map Biz News Business News – Personal Finance News, Share Market News, BSE/NSE News, Stock Exchange News Today
