India: UK-brewed craft beer Witlinger aiming for 30% share of premium imported beer market

Liquor firm Kaama Impex is aiming for 30 per cent market share in the premium imported beer segment in the next two years through its UK-brewed craft beer Witlinger, ETRetail.com reported on April 23.

The company, which has rights of several global beer brands in India, including Sol and Magners, on April 23 launched retail sales of Witlinger.

"This year, we are targeting to sell around 1.5 lakh cases. In 2017, we are expecting it to be around five lakh cases and capture 30 per cent market share in the premium imported beer segment," Kaama Impex Managing Director and founder Anuj Kushwah said.

The company was selling Witlinger beer in India from April 2014 in drafts, which was available only at selected places, and has now decided to go for retail sales after getting positive feedback from customers.

"The brand was accepted by the people and we have decided to take it further and get it in packaged format to target the retail consumption," he said.

Presently, the premium beer market in India is about 3.2 million cases, out of which 1.7-1.8 million cases are imported beer. The premium segment is growing in double digits, Kushwah added.

Witlinger has been launched in two variants - Witlinger Wheat Ale and Witlinger Lager.

The company has launched Witlinger in Delhi and would follow in other top cities soon.

"We would target key market of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Goa in the first year of business," he said.

Kaama Impex has recently secured funds from its angel investors Jasmeet Marwah and Amit Anand to support its expansion plans, he added.

Apart from Witlinger, Kaama Impex has distribution rights of Mexican Sol Beer, a brand owned by Heineken.

Other global brands in its portfolio include Irish beer Magners, German-brewed Weizenberg, Heverlee, Scottish beer Charger and Monin.

25 April, 2016