With the economy in revival mode, India’s largest brewer, the Vijay Mallya-led UB Group, is anticipating a rise in demand for beer and revisiting its growth targets accordingly.
The company is eyeing 20 per cent growth in its beer business for 2010-11, and is debating a hike in the price
of its products, owing to higher input costs.
The company is aiming to sell 120 million cases of beer next year — 20 per cent more than its target for the current fiscal of 100 million cases. It sold 83 million cases in 2008-09.
The UB Group has best-selling beer brands like Kingfisher, Black Label, Guru, London Pilsner and Zingaro.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday at the launch of ‘Kingfisher Blue’ in West Bengal market, UB Group’s senior vice president (marketing) Samar S. Sheikhawat said with the economy showing signs of revival, beer drinking is expected to go up. On mounting inflation, he said: “We will take a call after the Budget depending on what it has for us.” The cost of inputs like sugar and glass have shot up over the last few months.