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Bacardi Carta Blanca extended to Delhi -- Targets 25% market share in three years

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, March 23

BACARDI-MARTINI India Ltd, a 74:26 joint venture between Bermuda-based Bacardi Ltd and homegrown Gemini Distillers, has extended the availability of its popular brand of white rum, Bacardi Carta Blanca, to Delhi.

The brand had first entered India in 1998, and since then, has managed a market share of 12 per cent in the premium spirits market, estimated at approximately 1.6 million cases, Mr. Jayant Kapur, Managing Director, Bacardi-Martini India Ltd, said at a pr ess conference here today.

``Bacardi Carta Blanca is the number 2 brand in the premium spirits segment after Royal Challenge whisky,'' he added.

The company is also targeting a market share of 25 per cent within three years which it hopes to achieve from an array of brands, Mr. Mahesh Madhavan, General Manager, Marketing, said.

Apart from Carta Blanca, Bacardi-Martini markets Bacardi Reserva in India. The company could roll out more brands in India in the coming year, though it is not yet certain about the product mix, Mr. Madhavan added.

Bacardi Carta Blanca is available in 36 cities in India, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta and Hyderabad.

Priced at Rs. 325 for a 750-ml bottle, Carta Blanca is being made available at leading retail outlets in the Capital, within a time frame of two weeks.

The extension of Bacardi Carta Blanca to the Delhi market follows the relaxation of the State Government regulations. ``We are very bullish about the Delhi market. We are confident it will take off much faster than some of the other markets we had entere d in, given the fair amount of awareness the brand enjoys here. In fact, the premium spirits market in Delhi is growing faster than in Mumbai,'' Mr. Kapur said.

Mr. Kapur also acknowledged that Delhi is a more difficult market for liquor companies to operate in as opposed to Mumbai, given the State Government-owned monopoly outlets in the Capital, in contrast to privately-owned distribution vends in Mumbai.

Keeping in sync its promotional package, Bacardi has initiated a series of theme-based promotions in Delhi as well. The promotions have been designed essentially to induce trials among the youth _ the brand's core target consumer.

``We want to leverage the concept of music and movies which have typically been associated with the Bacardi brand,'' Mr. Madhavan said.

Meanwhile, the company is in the process of creating India-specific advertising as well.