Allied Blenders to launch 2 brandies, 1 whisky by year-end

Kishore Chhabria-led spirits maker Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD) plans to launch three new products -- two brandies and one whisky -- by this year-end, a top company official has said.

"We plan to launch two brandy products, one each in the prestige and premium segment, and a whisky brand which will be in the higher-priced segment," ABD Executive Vice-Chairman & CEO Deepak Roy told PTI here.

The first brandy under the brand -- Lord & Master -- will be launched in the next one month and the other by the year-end, he said.

The Lord & Master brandy will be in the prestige segment, while the second will be in the premium segment, Roy said.

The whisky product, about which he did not reveal details, will be in the market in four states next month.

Both the brandies will be launched in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka, he said.

"Eighty five per cent of brandy sales emanate from the four southern states and our whisky, Officer's Choice, enjoys a huge market share there. We needed to be present in that market and hence the brandy launch," Roy explained.

ABD, in which Chhabria owns a 95% stake and Roy a 5%, is targeting a 10% market share in the first year itself for its brandies.

For its whisky, Roy said details would be revealed closer to the date of its launch but said that "here again, we are targeting an 8-10% market share in the first year itself".

The company also plans a pan-India roll-out for its rum -- Jolly Roger -- by October. At present, it is available in the three eastern states of Orissa, West Bengal and Assam.

The company's flagship product, Officer's Choice whisky, currently contributes 92% of its total sales volume. Besides, ABD also has a vodka brand -- Gorbatschow.