United Breweries is relying on its latest strong brew, Kingfisher Storm, to wean away customers from rival Carlsberg that has steadily gained 15% market share over the past five years.
Storm will directly compete with Carlsberg Elephant, Tuborg Strong, and the recently introduced Tuborg Classic. The product will be rolled out across India in the next 18 months. This is the most aggressive launch by UB in over eight years, said acompany official.
According to experts, India’s beer market has traditionally been driven by strong beer, which accounts for about 80% of the country’s overall sales volume of 300 million cases. This year, the beer industry is expected to expand 5-7%, paced by premium product launches and expansions, according to the country’s top breweries.