Rallying for quality in Indian wines


Q.
Has Indus abstained from taking on the role of a simple bulk-supplier of wine to bigger players like Sula? If so, the investment in creating your own label recognizable through ensuring high-quality wine - right from vineyards has paid-off well through wine challenge awards and now the deal with Aspri. What do you say...


Violet:
Passion and enjoyment of crafting good quality wine has always been the focus at Indus Vineyards and this was the reason why Indus did not succumb to playing the role of a simple bulk wine supplier, where going by logistics it would have been economical as well as profitable to sell in bulk. We, at Indus were very sure about the path that we wanted to take to make a Brand India product and to do that we were prepared to go the whole hog.

In this industry one needs to have very deep pockets to sustain and continue to produce the best. In all honesty, since the launch of Indus wines, we did not make a great headway in sales. Our management decided that we will produce the best but we also need the best to market and sell our wines.

We began the hunt for an agency to market our wines, but who were as passionate as we were and zeroed down on three agencies but the decision was unanimous in partnering with Aspri Spirits Pvt. Ltd. who have a pan India reach, a young and dynamic management and above all who have fire in their bellies to take up challenges, innovate and strategize according to market trends. I am happy that Sumedh Singh Mandla, CEO Aspri’s wine division will lead the team. It feels great to constantly interact with such a team, whose imported wine portfolio is doing extremely well but raring to go and make a mark in the domestic wine sector. Indus is now upbeat and looks forward to doing well with Aspri by our side.


What ails the distribution system in the Indian wine industry?

Q.
What ails the distribution system that is a hindrance for small wineries? Is distribution of small wineries produce a big challenge?


Violet:
The distribution system in Maharahstra is a complex one. You will find many distributors owe allegiance to big companies like UB, Pernod Ricard and Diageo, who themselves have come out with their own domestic wine portfolios. These distributors will never agree to distribute wines of smaller companies like ours and risk losing their contracts with the big giants. Obviously with the top distributors being unavailable we are then saddled with the smaller ones who do not have a wide portfolio of alcoholic beverages to distribute. I have personally visited many distributors in the last four years and have a cordial relationship with them but talk of distributing domestic wines and you will get a definite NO.

The Maharahstra Government in giving an impetus to the domestic wine industry has allowed the supply of wine to retailers directly from the wineries. However since wine consumption is minuscule compared to other alcoholic beverages, it is not economical or feasible to deliver three or six bottles to around 50 retailers. Moreover, orders for wine are not very regular.

Another hindrance in distributing domestic wines is the ‘buy one get one free’ scheme that ails the domestic wine sector. I have observed that quantity and not quality is the norm. Why would anyone buy an Indus Sauvignon Blanc for Rs. 540/- when you can get two bottles of the same variety from about 20 wineries? Thankfully we have not succumbed to the 1+1 scheme and have since got a faithful clientele for our wines. Aspri shares our vision of ‘quality comes with a price’. The challenge is now for Aspri and Indus to counter this trend and lead the way.


Gateway to success: Quality products

Q.
Obviously quality still wins and business success catches up but after a time lapse. Please share your experience on this...


Violet:
At Indus, our focus is always in making good wine. But for that good wine to reach the tables of the consumer is the big issue. Innovative marketing is the need of the hour, which we have seen in the young and dynamic team at Aspri. In the long run, the men will be separated from the boys.

Quality will definitely be the trend in years to come, once awareness of wines spreads to our wine drinking class. As I mentioned earlier, one has to have deep pockets to continue to make good wine even if initially the cash registers are not ringing! Ultimately quality will win hands down in wine consumption.

Ansiha Sharma for indianwine.com