Blenders Pride

Blenders Pride
Type Indian whisky
Manufacturer Pernod Ricard
Distributor Pernod Ricard
Country of origin India
Introduced 1995
Alcohol by volume 42.8%
Colour Brown
Flavour Smooth and smoky
Ingredients Indian grain spirits, Scotch malt
Variants
  • Blenders Pride
  • Blenders Pride Reserve Collection
Related products
Website Pernod-Ricard.com/Blender-Pride

Blenders Pride is a brand of Indian whisky, owned by Pernod Ricard, and launched in 1995. It is a blend of Indian grain spirits and imported Scotch malt and contains no artificial flavouring. It is available in 5 different bottle formats (2L,1L, 750ml, 375ml, 180ml).[1] GQ magazine described the whisky as "smooth and smoky", and gave it a rating of 6/10.[2]

Pernod Ricard has identified Blenders Pride, along with Imperial Blue, Royal Stag, Chivas Regal and 100 Pipers as the company's five core brands to build its spirits business in India.[3] The brand's main national competitors are Royal Challenge, Signature and Antiquity[4] from United Spirits Ltd,[5] and Peter Scot from Khoday India Limited,[6][7] In some states, Blenders Pride also competes with Haig Gold Label from Diageo[8] and Rockford Reserve from Modi Illva.[9]

History

Blenders Pride was launched in India in 1995 by Seagram. Seagram's global business was jointly acquired by Pernod Ricard and Diageo on 21 December 2001.[10] Seagram's Indian operations were acquired by Pernod Ricard.[11] Pernod Ricard had previously entered the Indian market by acquiring a 74% stake in United Agencies Ltd (UAL), with a bottling facility in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. UAL was merged with Seagram's Indian business and continued operations under the name Seagram Manufacturing Ltd. The decision to integrate UAL into Seagram was taken due to the latter's larger operations in the country.[12]

Reserve Collection

Pernod Ricard launched a premium version of Blenders Pride, called Blenders Pride Reserve Collection in December 2011.[13] At the time of its launch, the Reserve Collection was the most expensive whisky produced in India.[14]

United Kingdom-based consultants CARTILS helped design the branding, bottle shape and packaging for Reserve Collection. CARTILS said that its aim was to "stay loyal to the original brand yet to ensure that its [Reserve Collection] significantly more premium nature was clearly communicated." The bottle shape for Reserve Collection is similar to Blenders Pride but has embossing.[15][16]

Sales

Blenders Pride sold 250,000 cases in 2003.[17] out of 1.5 million cases country-wide in the premium whisky segment.[18] In March 2004, Seagram Manufacturing Ltd. claimed that Blenders Pride had surpassed Shaw Wallace's "Royal Challenge" (now owned by United Breweries Group) to become the largest-selling premium whisky in Andhra Pradesh.[18]

The following table shows the annual sales of Blenders Pride:

Year Sales (in million cases)
2003 0.25[18][17]
2006 1.2[19]
2007 1.5[19]
2008 1.9[19]
2009 2.3[19]
2010 2.8[19]
2011 3.5[19]
2012 4[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Blenders Pride". Pernod Ricard. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  2. ↑ GQ staff (2011-05-31). "Taste test: India's 5 cheapest whiskeys". GQ India. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  3. ↑ "Seagram identifies 5 core brands to build spirits biz". The Hindu Business Line. 2005-03-31. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  4. ↑ "Signature Whisky in nips and pints". The Financial Express. 1999-09-09. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  5. ↑ "USL targets sale of 1 crore cases of Royal Challenge by 2019". Mint. PTI. 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  6. ↑ Rajanala, Sunil (2003-12-25). "RC takes the lead in premium segment". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  7. ↑ "The Hindu Business Line : UB expects CSD sales to boost Signature whisky". Business Line. 2004-02-05. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  8. ↑ "Diageo tries to bridge a price gap in 'real' scotch. Cheers to that". DNA. 2006-09-20. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  9. ↑ Bindu D Menon (2013-05-24). "Modi Illva bets big on whiskey demand". Business Line. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  10. ↑ "Pernod Ricard to acquire Seagram Spirits & Wine jointly with Diageo". Prnewswire.co.uk. 2000-12-20. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  11. ↑ "Pernod Ricard India set to take over Seagram's local operations this week". The Financial Express. 2002-02-11. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  12. ↑ "Pernod to merge with Seagram in India". The Hindu. 2001-11-03. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
  13. ↑ Alan Lodge (2012-01-03). "Pernod Ricard India raises local whiskey price bar". Thedrinksbusiness.com. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  14. ↑ Sarah Jacob (2011-12-30). "Pernod Ricard India rolls out costliest whisky in India". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  15. ↑ "New packaging, New Royal Stag. New Blenders Pride". Startingmonday.co.in. 2012-06-30. Archived from the original on 25 March 2013. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
  16. ↑ "Blenders Pride Reserve Collection Launch Boosts Pernod Ricard’s Quarter Results". Cartils. 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  17. 1 2 "'Blenders Pride' eyeing larger share". The Economic Times. 2004-02-24. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  18. 1 2 3 "The Hindu Business Line : Seagram knocks out Royal Challenge from top slot in AP". Business Line. 2004-03-16. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "WORLD WHISKIES – Brand Champions 2012". Thespiritsbusiness.com. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
  20. ↑ Indian Whisky Brand Champions 2013. Thespiritsbusiness.com (2013-07-08). Retrieved on 2013-12-23.

External links

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