IN high spirits

Calcutta, April 5: Vijay Mallya’s UB Group plans to launch premium Italian wines in the next three months.

“We are at advanced stages of talks with three Italian wine makers and will tie up with one of them very soon,” said Abhay Kewadkar, UB’s business head for wines.

The process is taking time because of the strict regulations in marketing. “We hope to work out the matter soon,” Kewadkar added.

About 90 per cent of the company’s wine portfolio comprise local products, while the rest is from France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the US.

The company may either import the Italian wines and market them in India, or develop a brand of its own.

“The dynamics are yet to be firmed up,” Kewadkar said, ruling out the possibility of buying a brewery in Italy.

“Indians have a good taste for Italian food. So, Italian wines hold good potential here. We hope Italian wines will have a good market in the eastern region,” he added.

The company plans to increase the share of its wine portfolio to about 30 per cent over the next two years. Currently, it sells 35 wine types and plans to add 10 more in next six months.

UB, which recently launched the Four Seasons varietal and reserve wines in the city, is planning to unveil a reserve range in October. Sparkling wines are on the cards early next year.

“From September, we plan to export Four Seasons to France, the UK, the US and Australia. Initially, we hope to garner about 10 per cent of our total turnover from exports and increase it to 30 per cent in 3-5 years,” Kewadkar said.

The company will also file for quality certificates and start registering brands in these countries.

“There is huge potential for wine marketers in India and the eastern region is almost untapped. We see very good growth here,” he said.

UB is also planning to enter tourism by promoting its Four Seasons winery at Baramati in Maharashtra.

In the next three years, the company aims to have a vineyard next to Baramati spread over 400 acres.