Presently, some 36 units are manufacturing beer in India with an estimated output of 670 mn litres. The market for beer in India was about 65 mn cases of 12 bottles each and was slated to touch 90 mn cases in 2002-03.   In consumption, India holds the 29th position with the annual consumption growing by 8% per year. Per capita consumption of beer is as low as half-a-litre as against 128 litres in Germany, 129 litres in New Zealand and 116 litres in Denmark. Even China has a per capita consumption of 20 litres.

The Indian beer industry has shifted towards the strong beer segment. The ratio in mild-strong beer has shifted from 66:34 in 1993-94 to 45:55.  In the mild beer, segment, Kingfisher, Golden Eagle and Royal Challenge are the main brands.  In the strong beer segments   Haywards 5000, Haywards 2000, Knockout, Khajuraho are dominant.  In the standard segment of over 55 mn cases, United Breweries has the lion's share.

Major brands of Mysore Breweries include Knockout, Bengal Premium, Pals Premium, and Seven Stars. It has two breweries in Aurangabad and Bangalore, with a total capacity of 450,000 hl. Mysore Breweries was to set up its third brewery in Andhra Pradesh, the fastest growing beer market.  Mysore Breweries and Singapore-based subsidiary of Heineken NV, Asia-Pacific Breweries, which manufactures the popular Tiger brand, are exploring the chances of setting up of a joint venture.  Dutch-based Heineken NV is the world's second largest international brewing group with production from more than 110 breweries spread over 50 countries. Heineken's three international brands, Heineken, Amstel and Murphy's, are the most popular brands. Its regional brands include, Cruzcampo, "33" Export, Moretti, Zywiec and Tiger, the largest regional brands in Asia. The brand portfolio comprises a total of over 80 brands.

Global majors, Stroh Brewing Co of the US and Henninger Brau AG of Germany, have already launched their products. Others like Fosters Brewing group of Australia, South African Breweries have either set up subsidiaries or have gone in for tie-ups.

Haake Beck, entered India through a technical tie-up between Brauerei Beck of Germany and Indian Him Neel Breweries, through a 0.15 mn hectolitre plant at Himachal Pradesh ( at an investment of  Rs 550 mn).  Haake Beck is sold in non-returnable, lightweight, takeaway 650 ml and 330 ml glass bottles, an innovation where recycled bottles has been the norm. UB’s two beer brands, Kingfisher and Kalyani Black Label, enjoy one-third of the market. Kingfisher alone commands 18% of the market.   Shaw Wallace, Mohan Meakin and   Mysore Breweries also enjoy a significant market presence.

United Breweries group acquired a 65% stake in the Mumbai-based Associated Breweries & Distilleries (ABD), producers of London Pilsner beer. With this acquisition, UB has protected the western Indian market from South African Breweries  (SAB), which has already made its presence felt in north India by taking over Narang Industry's brewery in UP. Its brands, besides London Pilsner, are London Diet, Maharaja Premium and San Miguel. ABD manufactures these beer brands at its brewery in Thane. United Breweries is expanding the capacity of its Nacharam brewery in Andhra Pradesh to 220,000 hl. It has also acquired majority control over beer manufacturing Inertia by raising its stake to more then 51% from 31%. The move was to help UB raise its market share significantly. Besides, UB has further concluded an agreement to acquire 75% of Mangalore Breweries, through its wholly owned subsidiary, United Breweries (Holdings).

 United Breweries has already decided to divest 26% stake to a strategic investor who could include Belgian Interbrew, Carlsberg or Heineken.  The company owns or contracts 22 out of 57 operating breweries in the country, representing about half the total capacity.  Carlsberg Breweries based in Denmark had decided to bring two of its brands, Carlsberg and Tuborg   to India. It launched Bengal Premium, a lager beer. Cans, which account for negligible volumes might, however, come sooner than later. Shaw Wallace is launching its Royal Challenge beer in cans. Kingfisher beer from UB is already available in cans.

 Australian Beer Company Foster’s launching of premium lager beer in India is targeting 15% growth in sales. Recently the company launched Amberro in India. Foster's premium lager mild claims to enjoy good market shares in several states. Foster India has evinced interest in introducing Foster's other international brands including Crown Lager, Foster's Ice, Subzero, Carlton Cold and Victoria Bitter.   Foster’s had set up a brewery at Aurangabad. Shaw Wallace has a presence of 40% in the strong beer and premium beer segments with Haywards 5000 and Haywards 2000 being the market leaders in their respective segments. It has plans to launch its beer in the US market under the brand name Kohinoor. SWC had earlier launched its beer, Lal Toofan, in the United Kingdom in 1993. The brand enjoyed a remarkable success and has since been extended to other markets like France. The company has a bagful of beer brands, which include Royal Challenge.

 Rainbow Breweries will bottle Shaw Wallace brands - Haywards 5000, Haywrads 2000 and Royal Challenge. Rainbow Breweries has a production capacity of 600,000 cases a year. The company expects to augment its presence in the region from a million to million-and-a-half cases. Shaw Wallace had undertaken a restructuring exercise with the merger of three breweries - Sica Breweries, Skol Breweries and Haryana Breweries. Under the plan, Shaw Wallace was to be split into three separate companies: one company holding all the breweries' assets, the second all the distilleries, while the main holding company will own the brands. Shaw Wallace currently has eight breweries. The company with 14 distilleries merged with Shaw Wallace Distilleries. Shaw Wallace entered into a strategic alliance with Singha Brewery of Nepal to further spread the reach of Haywards.  Singha Brewery will manufacture Haywards super strong beer and Hi-Five mild beer. SWC had planned to capture 10% of the Nepal market in the first year itself.  Shaw Wallace sought permission to set up four greenfield breweries. It also planned expansion of some of its existing breweries like the Charminar Brewery in Andhra Pradesh from the existing 2.56 mn cases to 5.77 mn cases a year.

 Interbrew, the world's second largest brewery was planning to enter the country in view of the emerging growth opportunities in the sector. It was scouting for a partner and was in negotiations with various brewery majors like Mysore Breweries, a regional player in Karnataka that owns the Knockout brand of strong beer, for collaboration and marketing alliance. Interbrew's brands include Stella Artois, Jupiler, Labatt Blue and Rolling Rock and its speciality beer are amber-red beers (Vieux-Temps, Ginder Ale), abbey beers (Leffe), white beers (Hoegaarden) and fruit-based beers (Belle-Vue).

 The Miller Brewing Company, world's third largest producer of beer, had made plans to invest over $150 mn with Mohan Meakins as a joint venture partner.  The plan included five breweries. LowenBrau Buttenheim entered the Indian market with a subsidiary, LowenBrau Buttenheim India, with local promoters. LowenBrau now has tough competition from established players such as UB's Kingfisher, San Miguel, Sandpiper and Australian beer major, Foster’s.

Beer Demand: Past & Future

Year                       Kls

2000-01                528

2001-02                565

2002-03                632

2003-04                676

2004-05                723

2005-06                770

2006-07                820

2007-08                875

2008-09                930

2009-10                985

2014-15                1320

Market Segmentation

Segment                                      Share (%)

North                                             12

East                                               2

West                                              37

South                                            49

Standard Beer                              45

Strong Beer                                  54

Premium, Diet                             1