BANGALORE, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--United Spirits Limited (USL), the flagship company of The UB Group, today announced that it has crossed the milestone of clocking a sales volume of 100 million cases for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. This achievement makes United Spirits the world’s second-largest spirits company by volumes, dislodging Paris-headquartered Pernod Ricard.

Commenting on USL catapulting to the number 2 position globally, Dr. Vijay Mallya, Chairman, The UB Group said, “We have done extremely well, despite the economic slowdown this year. This has been made possible through our sheer dedication and commitment to the vision of becoming the best in the business. It wasn’t long ago that we were merely a 3 million case company. We have created a new history in the world of beverage alcohol by selling 740 million cases in about a quarter of a century. The Indian spirits industry today is pegged at 236 million cases and USL has a 59% market share in India in the segments it operates in. We are certain that our additional sales in the next financial year will take us to the No. 1 position globally.”

Key highlights:

• The retail sales value of the spirits portfolio sales of United Spirits for the 100 million cases sold is Rs. 30,000 Crores
• USL’s 100 million cases contributed Government revenue of Rs. 18,000 Crores through excise and other levies
• USL has dominant market share and the fastest growing brands in most key segments
• USL has outperformed global competitors with USL brands growing 14% while the world’s top 100 spirits brands collectively grew only 1% and this when 18 of the top 25 global premium brands lost ground
• In the last 25 years, USL has sold a total of 740 million cases
• United Spirits launched Black Dog 18 YO in the super premium Bottled – In-India (BII) scotch category to further ramp up its market share
• The company upped the ante in the premium IMFL segment with the introduction of 100% pure grain-based McDowell’s Platinum whisky

United Spirits is aggressively moving up the value chain for premium spirits consumption. The company is upbeat about the economy and increase in consumer demand over the next few years. With more than 100 million potential consumers entering the legal drinking age in the next 5 years, the opportunity for growth for it is tremendous. To this end, United Spirits has undertaken a massive capacity augmentation through a robust capital investment plan of over Rs 650 crores. The company recently acquired Tern Distilleries in AP and set up a Greenfield malt spirit plant in Nasik in Maharashtra.

About United Spirits Limited:

United Spirits Limited (USL) is the INR 6500 crores (FY 09) spirits arm of the UB Group. USL was earlier McDowell and Company Limited . USL is headquartered in Bangalore with a global footprint and has 7500 employees across various locations. USL has a portfolio of more than 140 brands, of which 20 are millionaire brands and has manufacturing and bottling units at 80 locations across the country.

USL represents the merged entities of erstwhile McDowell & Co. Limited, Phipson Distillery Limited, United Spirits Limited, Herbertsons Limited, Triumph Distillers and Vintners Private Limited, Baramati Grape Industries Limited, United Distillers India Limited, McDowell International Brands Limited and Shaw Wallace Distilleries Limited and Shaw Wallace & Co. The erstwhile McDowell & Co. Limited was first established as a proprietary business in 1826. For detailed information, please visit www.unitedspirits.in

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