UB hopes to sell 2 mn cases of Amstel beer, enter craft beer segment

India's largest beer maker United Breweries Ltd plans to sell about two million cases of Amstel brand beer this fiscal and also enter the craft beer segment, said a senior official.

"Newer segments are emerging in the beer segment on price points. The Amstel brand beer is positioned as accessible premium brand priced about Rs 10-15 above the mass premium brand segment," said Gurpreet Singh, Divisional Vice President Marketing, on Thursday.

"We will be launching Amstel beer in Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra and also in the Eastern markets so as to have a national foot print," Singh said.

He said United Breweries hopes to sell about two million cases of Amstel beer by the end of this fiscal.

He said the company has launched the brand in Karnataka, Puducherry and Kerala with Tamil Nadu being the latest market.

Singh said Tamil Nadu is a strong beer market so, Amstel beer is launched early before other markets.

Speaking about the bottled craft beer segment (beer made in non-mechanised manner), Singh said it is a very small and an emerging market.

"The craft beer may account about one per cent of the total beer market in India, but occupies the mind space of the upmarket segment. By this year we may enter the segment," Singh said.

He said the price of mass premium beer is in the range of Rs 140 while that of accessible premium beer is about Rs 150 per bottle. On the other hand, a super premium beer brand will cost about Rs 180-200. The craft beer is also priced in the range of super premium beer brand.

Singh said the Indian beer industry is growing at 9-10 per cent whereas United Breweries is logging about 12 per cent growth. IANS