Thaindian News

Bangalore, April 7 (IANS) Indian business tycoon Vijay Mallya’s United Spirits Ltd. became the world’s second largest liquor firm, with sales volumes of 100 million cases in fiscal 2009-10, the company said Wednesday.
The group’s beer division — United Breweries — also logged sales volume of 100 million cases in the fiscal under review, Mallya told reporters here.

“Our group’s alcobev businesses had a retail sales value of Rs.38,200 crore (Rs.382 billion) and contributed Rs.21,200 crore (Rs.212 billion) to the exchequer during the just concluded fiscal (FY 2010),” a beaming Mallya disclosed.

Noting that the group had done extremely well despite the economic slowdown, Mallya said the dedication and commitment of its employees had catapulted the United Spirits to the number two position globally.

“We have created a new history in the world of beverage alcohol by selling 740 million cases in about 25 years. The Indian spirits industry is pegged at 236 million cases and United Spirits has a 59 percent market share in the country in the segments it operates,” Mallya pointed out.

In the new fiscal (20010-11), the company is upbeat on climbing to the number one position globally with additional sales.

With retail sales of 100 million cases valued at Rs.30,000 crore (Rs.300 billion), the company paid a whopping Rs.18,000 crore (Rs.180 billion) towards excise and other levies to the government.

“We have a dominant market share and the fastest growing brands in most key segments,” Mallya noted.

The company also upped the ante in the premium Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) segment by introducing the 100 percent pure grain-based McDowell’s platinum whisky.

“We have invested Rs.650 crore for expanding the capacity last fiscal, besides setting up a greenfield malt spirit plant at Nasik in Maharashtra and acquiring Tern Distilleries in Andhra Pradesh,” Mallya added.