INDIA: United Spirits looks to up vodka profile - report

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 30 August 2007

United Spirits is mulling an expansion of its vodka offering in its home market, according to reports.

The spirits unit of Indian company United Breweries Group is said to be looking at upping its profile in the premium and mid-priced vodka segments within the nest year. The country's Business Standard newspaper cited company executives in a report today (30 August).

United Spirits plans to launch Vladivar vodka, owned by recent acquisition Whyte & Mackay, in the country at some indeterminate point, the paper said.

"The new vodka brands that we are going to introduce could be from the Whyte and Mackay stable or through acquisitions," the paper cited Debashish Shyam, assistant vice-president of marketing at United Spirits, as saying. "Currently, United Spirit's White Mischief is the largest-selling vodka in the country and it dominates the regular-priced vodka market with an 83% market share. However, we want to tap the premium and mid-priced segments, which are also catching up in India."

United Spirits acquired Whyte & Mackay in May of this year for $1.18bn after a protracted negotiation period.

Sectors: Spirits

Companies: United Breweries, Whyte & Mackay, Vladivar