Growing Health Consciousness Along with Shift towards Low Alcohol Content Drinks Would Drive the Growth of Beer Market in India - 6Wresearch

Increasing disposable income, urbanization, growing youth population as well as rising acceptance of social drinking have buoyed the growth of beer market in India. The country ranks among one of the largest alcohol markets across the globe. India Manufactured Foreign Liquor (IMFL) including whisky, vodka, brandy, and rum is highly preferred by consumers in India. However, with growing health consciousness, customers are shifting towards beer consumption owing to its lower alcohol content. Currently, per capita beer consumption in India is below 5 liters, which is extremely low as compared to above 25 liters in other Asian countries. Several domestic and international players are investing in India's beer market to gain a competitive edge in the country.

According to 6Wresearch, India Beer Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.6% during 2018-24. Bottled beer bagged highest revenue share in 2017. It is the most common way of beer packaging in India beer market. However, with the introduction of canned and draught beer, bottled beer segment is continuously losing its market share. Canned beer is gaining immense acceptance as it is considered to consume less space, and can be easily transported from one place to another. Moreover, freshly brewed, on-tap beer is the newest trend in India beer market. Draught beer is anticipated to exhibit highest growth rate during the forecast period.

According to Anuj Mehrotra, Senior Research Analyst, Research and Consulting, 6Wresearch, "Strong beer segment contributed highest revenue share towards overall India beer market in 2017. The segment is likely to continue its dominance during the forecast period owing to huge consumer demand for beer with higher alcohol content. However, on account of growing health awareness and surging preference towards lower alcoholic drinks, mild beer segment is anticipated to exhibit highest growth rate during the forecast period. Currently, working class population are the major consumers of mild beer in the country."

"Additionally, India is an emerging market in terms of beer consumption. More than 80% of the market is dominated by top three players, despite, both domestic and foreign companies are coming up with product variants in terms of taste & quality to attract the consumers. For instance, market leader United Breweries recently launched 5 imported beer brands in India market to strengthen its presence in imported beer segment," Anuj concluded.

According to Suman Gautam, Research Associate, Research and Consulting, 6Wresearch, "Favorable demographics of India is attracting foreign players to invest in beer market in the country. Companies such as SAB Miller and Carlsberg penetrated India market through distributors initially. However, these players have now set-up their manufacturing facilities in the country to cater the market effectively."

"Furthermore, the concept of microbreweries is growing exponentially in the country. Currently, there are nearly 100 microbreweries in the country. At present, few of the states have issued licenses for microbreweries, however with tremendously growing consumer demand for craft beer, different states are planning to allow microbreweries in their regions. For instance, Andhra Pradesh and Mizoram came up with their first microbrewery in 2017; Kerala and Tamil Nadu are planning to launch microbreweries in 2018," Suman added.

Some of the major companies in India beer market include- United Breweries Limited, Carlsberg India Private Limited, AB Inbev Private Limited, Molson Coors India Private Limited and Mohan Meakin Limited.

"India Beer Market (2018-2024)" provides in-depth analysis with 39 figures and 6 tables covered in 118 pages. The report estimates and forecast the overall India beer market by type, sales channel, demographic, packaging, and regions. The report also offer insights on competitive landscape, companies benchmarking, company profiles, market drivers and restraints.