Aspri Spirits eyeing 10% market share in India

Mumbai-based Aspri Spirits today said it is eyeing a market share of up to 10 per cent from the sale of two champagnes from France-based House of Lombard in the Indian market.

Aspri Spirits has a marketing tie up with House of Lombard and sells its two premium champagnes--Champagne Lombard Brut and Champagne Lombrad Rose- in the Indian market after importing them from France.

"At the moment we are looking to establish the brand in the country by introducing the champagnes in major restaurants, hotels and retail stores and eyeing a market (share) of nearly 5-10 per cent in the current fiscal" Aspri Spirits CEO Sumedh Singh Mandla told PTI.

According to industry estimates, the champagne segment in Indian liquor business is around 10,000-15,000 cases.

"We are looking at a market share of up to 5 to 10 per cent in the champagne segment in the current fiscal," Mandla said.

Aspri Spirits, which imports over 40 brands of wines and Spirits in India for different makers, is marketing Lombard champagnes in over 23 cities in the country.

House of Lombard, established in 1925 at Espernay in France, had sales of 25 million euros in the last fiscal and is now looking at expanding its product portfolio in India.

"We will launch another champagne 'Premier Cru Vintage' in the country after establishing the ones which have already been launched," House of Lombard President Thierry Lombard said without giving any further details.

The company which generated 70 per cent of its sales from France and the rest 30 per cent from export in the last fiscal, is also eyeing different regions to spur growth in the current fiscal.

"UK is our number one export market and since two years we are looking for expansion in India, UAE, Singapore and Thailand," Lombard said.

The company is also looking at entering the US and China market in the first quarter of 2011.