Russia's Sun eyes Meakins beer business
After Anheuser Busch and SABMiller, it’s now the turn of the Russia-based Sun group to join the fray for the beer business of Mohan Meakins, India’s oldest spirit and beer company famous for flagship brands such as Golden Eagle beer and Old Monk R...
By M Padmakshan, TNN |
MUMBAI: After Anheuser Busch and SABMiller, it’s now the turn of the Russia-based Sun group to join the fray for the beer business of Mohan Meakins, India’s oldest spirit and beer company famous for flagship brands such as Golden Eagle beer and Old Monk Rum.
The Sun group, owned by the Khemka group, is the largest producer of beer in Russia. Mohan Meakins’ patriarch Kapil Mohan has said that they have been talking to a number of Indian and foreign brewers for a joint venture for the beer business.
Mohan Meakins which has a pan-India presence has breweries in UP, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu and claims to command 10% of the over 110-million case Indian beer market. Anheuser Busch, America’s No-1 brewer and makers of the Budweiser beer and South Africa’s SABMiller that owns Castle Lager, had earlier expressed an interest for Mohan Meakins’ beer business.
The Khemka group has been operating for over 50 years in Russia and controls over 20 breweries in Russia and Ukraine. The group’s production capacity in Russia and Ukraine put together is larger than the Russian beer major Baltica.
SABMiller, which has already made its presence felt in the Indian beer market through a series of acquisitions — the last being the beer business of Shaw Wallace — could become India’s largest selling beer company if it acquires Mohan Meakins’ beer business.
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India’s leading beer company is currently the Vijay Mallya-led United Breweries that owns the KingFisher beer brand and accounts for over 48% of the Indian market. SABMiller controls 38% of India’s market. Anhueser Busch, the third-largest beer company in the world after InBev and SABMiller, is keen to enter one of the fastest growing markets in the world, and is reportedly talking to several middle level brewers here. Mohan Meakins has denied reports that it plans to sell its flagship brand, Old Monk rum, the largest selling spirit brand in India. The brand is also one of the top ten Indian brands across all sectors.
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