Sula Vineyards, one of the largest wine producers in the country, has become the first national wine brand to be listed with the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac).
Sula’s premium and sparkling range will be offered for the first time through Elite outlets and select Tasmac shops. The cash-cow of the state government has 83 Elite outlets, of which 31 are in Chennai.
“We are excited to be the first and only national wine brand to be associated with Tasmac. As one of the top alcohol consuming States in the country, this step opens great avenues for the brand,” Rajeev Samant, founder and chief executive officer, Sula Vineyards, told The Hindu.
Sula has brought in six wine variants and will bring in two more in the next few months. Plans are afoot to introduce wines in the sub-₹1,000 range.
“We are working on it. We recently introduced India's first wine in cans (330 ml). We will study the market here and will bring in those products,” Mr. Samant said.
Tie-up possible
Sula Vineyards, which enjoys over 60% market share in the Indian wine market, is also evaluating options for a tie-up with a winery in Tamil Nadu.
“Talks are also on with Cumbum Valley Winery. We are going to take a look at it,” Mr. Samant said.
Talking about market opportunities in Tamil Nadu, he said, “In other States, more than 80% of wine is consumed in the capital city. We expect a similar pattern in Chennai. The rest [of the sales] will come from other towns like Coimbatore.”
A senior official of Tasmac said, “Last year, we had invited brands registered outside Tamil Nadu and Sula was the first to come and register.”
“Another brand called Fratelli Wines has also evinced interest and has submitted its application,” the official added.
In India, the bulk of wine consumption is in urban centres – Mumbai accounts for 32%, followed by Delhi NCR and its tech suburb Gurugram at 25% and Bengaluru at 20%. Pune and Hyderabad consume 5% and 3% respectively.
