Big beer brands vs craft-beer brands
United Breweries and Ab In-Bev are launching craft-beer brands in India
United Breweries and Ab In-Bev are launching craft-beer brands in India
Traditional beer brands aren’t allowing startups to win. India’s two largest beer brands AB In-Bev and United Breweries are launching craft-beer brands. There are about twelve craft-beer startups, and about 200 fresh brewpubs in India.
United Breweries will be launching by the end of December. AB In-Bev will be launching two brands- Machaa abd Veere. A 330-ml can will be priced at Rs 140, almost half the cost of an imported Hoegaarden equivalent. It also sells Edelweiss and Hoegaarden. Each costs twice the craft wheat beers available in the market.
US is world’s largest craft-brewing market. Two brands-Anchor Brewing & Samuel Adams kickstarted the movement. Today there are about 5000 micro-breweries. It took about five decades for it to grow to this size. It is consolidating today.
It’s early days for the beer in India’s $ 35bn liquor market. Big brands won’t acquire smaller brands or threaten them either. The market size is growing as more Indians are opting to drink. The industry will keep growing as per capita consumption is also growing. However, startups have to build efficient distribution system and products at different price points. Bira, which sold India’s first bottled wheat beer has entered the mass market.
Dig deeper: Vikram Achanta on India’s craft-beer scene Link