Summary
Blenders Pride launched in 1995, is a brand of Indian whisky, owned by Pernod Ricard. It is a blend of great Indian grain spirits and imported Scotch malt.[1]
 | |
| 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 |
|
| Related products | |
| Website | Pernod-Ricard.com/Blender-Pride |
Pernod Ricard has identified Blenders Pride as the company's one of the five core brands to build its spirits business in India.[2] The brand's main national competitors are Royal Challenge, Signature and Antiquity[3] from United Spirits Ltd,[4] and Peter Scot from Khoday India Limited,[5][6] In some states, Blenders Pride also competes with Haig Gold Label from Diageo[7] and Rockford Reserve from Modi Illva.[8]
History edit
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.[9] Seagram's Indian operations were acquired by Pernod Ricard.[10] 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.[11]
Reserve Collection edit
Pernod Ricard launched Blenders Pride Reserve Collection in December 2011.[12] At the time of its launch, the Reserve Collection was the most expensive whisky produced in India.[13] This whisky is a blend of Scotch malts that have been matured through the unique Solera process, with the finest Indian grain spirits, strengthening the Blenders Pride brand’s presence in the market even further.[14]
UK-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 edit
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[17][18] |
| 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 edit
- ^ "Blenders Pride". Pernod Ricard. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "Seagram identifies 5 core brands to build spirits biz". The Hindu Business Line. 2005-03-31. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
- ^ "Signature Whisky in nips and pints". The Financial Express. 1999-09-09. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "USL targets sale of 1 crore cases of Royal Challenge by 2019". Mint. PTI. 2009-04-28. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ Rajanala, Sunil (2003-12-25). "RC takes the lead in premium segment". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "The Hindu Business Line : UB expects CSD sales to boost Signature whisky". Business Line. 2004-02-05. Archived from the original on 2013-12-24. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "Diageo tries to bridge a price gap in 'real' scotch. Cheers to that". DNA. 2006-09-20. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ Bindu D Menon (2013-05-24). "Modi Illva bets big on whiskey demand". Business Line. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "Pernod Ricard to acquire Seagram Spirits & Wine jointly with Diageo". Prnewswire.co.uk. 2000-12-20. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
- ^ "Pernod Ricard India set to take over Seagram's local operations this week". The Financial Express. 2002-02-11. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ "Pernod to merge with Seagram in India". The Hindu. 2001-11-03. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
- ^ Alan Lodge (2012-01-03). "Pernod Ricard India raises local whiskey price bar". Thedrinksbusiness.com. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ Sarah Jacob (2011-12-30). "Pernod Ricard India rolls out costliest whisky in India". The Economic Times. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ The Whiskypedia (2018-05-06). "Blenders Pride - History, Facts & Alcohol Percentage". Thewhiskypedia.com. Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2018-09-13.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Blenders Pride Reserve Collection Launch Boosts Pernod Ricard's Quarter Results". Cartils. 2012-05-15. Archived from the original on 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ a b "'Blenders Pride' eyeing larger share". The Economic Times. 2004-02-24. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ a b c "blenders pride price". Business Line. 2004-03-16. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ a b c d e f "WORLD WHISKIES – Brand Champions 2012". Thespiritsbusiness.com. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2013-06-08.
- ^ Blenders Pride. Indian Whisky Brand Champions 2013. Thespiritsbusiness.com (2013-07-08). Retrieved on 2013-12-23.
Blenders Pride Whisky Archived 2021-05-03 at the Wayback Machine
External links edit
- Pernod Ricard official site