Whyte & Mackay gets 13% share of Indian whisky market in only five months
In only 5 months the Whyte & Mackay group have 13 per cent share in India’s single malt whisky sector!
I suppose it was inevitable after Whyte & Mackay (W&M) was acquisition for £595 million in 2007 by Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya and his United Spirits group.
John Beard, chief executive of Whyte & Mackay says
“The UK has some quite significant issues related to taxation and everyone seems determined to tax the category continuously and therefore we need to look internationally. To date we have been quite dependent on the UK but that dependency is reducing year by year.
India is a hugely attractive whisky market for the future and we have a route to market through United Spirits which really is quite remarkable. It has 60 per cent of the market, so six out of ten bottles of spirits sold in India come out of our parent company.
Already we have gained a 13% share of the malt whisky category which in time will be a very, very significant profit opportunity.
If you compare India to China the interesting comparison is that China is not only about whisky but cognac whereas in India whisky is what consumers drink.”
He should look at Uruguay where there is a huge number of whisky drinkers just waiting for some exceptional whiskies to make their market entrance!
The Dalmore and Jura malts (owned by Whyte & Mackay) have a lot to do with this i suspect…. both are VERY nice single malts.
The Dalmore Cigar Malt & Jura Superstition being two of our personal favourites.
In Whisky related news they have also re-branded Glayva liqueur in a move that will see it go head to head with rival Drambuie in America.
I am hoping that includes South America as at the moment Drambuie has no competition here.
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