Highlights
- The company has launched Island Lager and Pale Ale in Delhi.
- Copperdrop Spirits will import and distribute the beers in India.
- Expansion to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is planned.
BRITISH brewer Lion Brewery Co has re-entered the Indian market after an absence of more than six decades, launching its premium beer portfolio in Delhi as it looks to tap into the country's growing premium beer segment.
The company has partnered with Copperdrop Spirits as its exclusive importer and distributor in India. It plans to expand distribution to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh states in the next phase.
Founded in London in 1836, Lion Brewery Co said it has historical links with India and was among the early producers and exporters of India Pale Ale (IPA), a style developed for export to the country during the British era.
"India is not just a new market for us; it's part of Lion Brewery Co's story," said Will Julius, managing director of Lion Brewery Co.
The firm is targeting the premium beer segment, which it said is growing by more than 40 per cent a year, driven by higher disposable incomes in urban areas, changing consumer preferences and the growth of microbreweries.
"To bring Lion back after more than half a century, and to do so at a time when the premium beer segment is growing so rapidly in India, is incredibly exciting," Julius said.
The company has launched Island Lager and Pale Ale in India, with both available in 330 ml bottles in Delhi. It said additional formats are expected later.
Lion Brewery Co, which was revived by a group of friends in 2018, entered India through its partnership with Copperdrop Spirits, promoted by the founder of premium beer brand Bad Monkey Beer, according to the company.
"We see strong potential for premium international craft brands in India. Lion Brewery Co combines heritage, authenticity and quality, which resonate with today's Indian consumer," said Rohan Khare of Copperdrop Spirits.
India's beer market was valued at about $4.5 billion (£3.34bn) in 2023 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8 to 10 per cent through 2028, according to IMARC Group data cited by the company.
It said the premium beer segment is growing faster than the overall market, at around 42 to 45 per cent annually.
(PTI)
