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Dutch brewing major Heineken NV, which owns United Breweries Ltd (UBL), on Wednesday said its India beer volume saw a "mid-single-digit" decline in the September quarter on account of unusually heavy rains in parts of the country during monsoon. However, its organic net revenue grew in "mid-single-digit", largely supported by price hikes in some of the key states, along with a portfolio mix. "In India, organic net revenue (beia) grew by a mid-single-digit, while beer volume fell by a mid-single-digit, impacted by an unusually strong monsoon season. We outperformed the market. Price-mix expanded by a high single digit, supported by pricing in key states and portfolio mix," said Heineken in its earnings statement. Its volume in the premium beer segment -- generally above Rs 125 per pint -- "grew in the low teens" led by Ultra Max from the portfolio of the home-grown brand Kingfisher and launch of Amstel Grande during the quarter. In 2025, many states saw higher than normal rainfall i
The domestic beer industry, which has been facing an acute shortage of aluminium cans and fearing an impact on growth trajectory, has urged the government for a 'short-term regulatory relaxation' in quality control norms to ensure uninterrupted supply from overseas. The beer industry is facing an annual deficit of 12-13 crore units of 500 ml cans, which account for almost 20 per cent of total beer sales in the country, and it may also lead to a shortfall of around Rs 1,300 crore in government revenues, according to the Brewers Association of India (BAI). Aluminium cans were brought under the ambit of mandatory BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification by the government from April 1, 2025, through a quality control order (QCO), which has resulted in short-term supply problems for beer as well as other beverage packaging industry in the country. Key aluminium can suppliers, BALL Beverage Packaging India and Can-Pack India, have already exhausted their domestic capacity at their .
The beer industry has urged the Karnataka government not to go for any further tax increase as it may lead to reduced sales volumes in the state and put investment of over Rs 5,000 crore in breweries at risk. Frequent increases in taxes in Karnataka in recent times have affected growth from the beer industry and have also brought down tax revenues, the Brewers' Association of India (BAI) said in a letter to the state government. Taxes on beer have been increased three times in the last 18 months -- in July 2023, February 2024, and January 2025, and as a result, the growth in sales of beer in the state, which has always been healthy, has "slumped to stagnation", it said. "After the third tax increase in January 2025, beer sales have actually started contracting for the first time," said a letter by BAI Director-General Vinod Giri. BAI is the apex body of the beer industry representing India's largest beer makers such as United Breweries (owned by Heineken, AB InBev, and Carlsberg, .
A day after the country's leading brewer United Breweries suspended supply to Telangana, beer industry body BAI on Thursday said the commercial viability of prices set by the state government has become far too stressed. The prices allowed to supplier companies are actually below the cost of goods supplied as these prices are based on the cost of production in 2018-19, said Brewers Association of India (BAI) DG Vinod Giri. On Wednesday, United Breweries Ltd (UBL), which operates with popular beer brands like Kingfisher, Kalyani Black, Heineken, and Amstel Bier, announced to suspend the supply of its beer to Telangana State Beverages Corporation with immediate effect. The decision has been taken due to the non-revision of the basic price of the company's beer from 2019-20 by Telangana State Beverages Corporation Ltd (TSBCL), resulting in huge losses in the state, said United Breweries Ltd (UBL), now controlled by Dutch multinational brewing company Heineken NV. Commenting on the ...