Him Neel Breweries Uncorks German Haake Beck Beer

Him Neel Breweries Ltd has launched German company Brauerei Beck & Co's popular beer brand, Haake Beck, in India. The two companies have a technical tie-up.

Haake Beck, the maiden offer from Him Neel Breweries, has already hit the market in Goa. It is slated for launch in Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab and some other parts of north India by the end of this month.

"Success in Mumbai is crucial for the national acceptance of a brand," Him Neel director C K Khemka told Business Standard.

Haake Beck has been launched in two varieties -- strong and lager. The diet variety will follow later.

 

The brand is positioned as a premium product. It is priced higher than Kingfisher, the largest selling brand at present, and in the same bracket as Strohs.

Him Neel is buying the bottles for packaging its beer from Haryana Sheet Glass, which is part of the same group.

The crown and foil is being imported from Germany. The 650 ml bottles are 150 grams lighter than other beer bottles.

Haake Beck is also being marketed in cans, which are imported from the UK.

According to the Khemka, the brewing is in strict adherence to German quality norms under which no additives are used.

The company's brewery is located at Nimrana -- mid-way between Delhi and Jaipur. It has been set up at a cost of Rs 50 crore, with the entire plant and machinery imported from Germany. According to Khemka, setting up a brewery with indigenous equipment costs around Rs 25 crore, but the company decided to go in for German equipment because Brauerei Beck & Co said it was important to maintain quality.

The manufacturing capacity of the brewery is 150,000 hecto litres a year, or about 90,000 bottles of 650 ml capacity daily.

The chief promoter of Him Neel is Radhey Shyam Khemka. It also has an equity participation from the Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation.

The brand is positioned as a premium product. It is priced higher than

Kingfisher, the largest selling brand at present, and in the same bracket as Strohs.