July 2008 - Posts

• Wine consumers on the rise in India - a discussion - Otago Daily Times NZ

  "India is like the last frontier; it has the capability to be the biggest wine market on the planet in volume.": Craig Wedge Although advertising alcohol is forbidden in India, wine gets disproportionate media space, where it is portrayed as a low-alcohol, healthy beverage with a certain cachet, as opposed to the more widely drunk spirits. It is seen as glamorous, up-market and high society, a trend reinforced by Bollywood stars. Alok Chandra, Vishal Kadakia, Craig Wedge and Neal Ibbotson share with Charmian Smith their insight on the rising numbers of wine consumers in India... for details, read on Otago Daily Times  Posted Jul 27 2008, 11:00 AM by anisha sharma with no comments Filed under: News, wine business

• Karnataka Government to implement New wine Policy - Business Standard

  The Karnataka government is to implement its new wine policy in the state from August 1. While proposing to ease the rules and reduce the licence fees for setting up new wineries and “wine taverns”, the government has simultaneously sought to increase the cost of importing wines from outside the state from Rs 10 to Rs 300 per litre, thereby increasing costs to consumers by Rs 280 per bottle, and wiping out most wines now being brought in from Maharashtra. for more details Business Standard  Posted Jul 27 2008, 10:51 AM by anisha sharma with no comments Filed under: News, wine business

• New at UB: Equity shares for grape farmers - LiveMint.com

  United Breweries is pioneering a special initiative for farmers: The first equity participation of its kind in the Indian wine sector this will ensure for Four Seasons a regular supply of wine-grade grapes, replacing the existing contract-farming model. The company, which has around 600 acres of vineyards through contract farming, will offer 500 shares of Rs10 each per acre of cultivation, said Abhay Kewadkar, chief wine-maker and a director of Four Seasons. "We have already received responses from about 1,000 farmers,” he informs. The size of equity dilution in Four Seasons “will be significant,” though United Spirits Ltd, the spirits company of UB Group, will hold the controlling stake in the wine company. for more details LiveMint.com Posted Jul 27 2008, 10:27 AM by anisha sharma with no comments Filed under: News, wine business