SNJ Distillers Pvt Ltd has launched its new brandy - British Empire - for Tamil Nadu market. SNJ manufactures this at its Tamil Nadu facility blending distilled wine imported from Louis Royer of France with domestic neutral spirit.

The product, priced at Rs 580 a 750 ml unit, will be available in all Tasmac outlets in the State.

According to Mr Ray Martins, Area Representative, Louis Royer of France, grapes are sourced from the vineyards in Cognac and other such wine producing areas of France.

And, Louis Royer in France distils the low wine from these grapes following the traditional pot still distillation techniques and sends the wine to SNJ Distillers in India in bulk.

SNJ Distillers is an Rs 400-crore company that currently bottles six lakh cases a month. The company has over 12 brands of brandy, whisky and vodka.

Other brands

In addition to this, it also bottles products brands of other international and domestic players including Bacardi and Radico Khaitan. However, Mr S.N. Jayamurugan, Chairman and Managing Director, SNJ Distillers, says close to 90 per cent of our revenue comes from our own brands and only the remaining comes from the contract bottling business.

Biggest market

To a question whether the company intends to take the British Empire brand to other markets in the country, he said Tamil Nadu is the biggest brandy market in the country. “However, we plan to take the brand to other geographies over a period of time.” In the next couple of months, the company's Goa unit will start manufacturing the brand to cater to Puducherry market, he said.

New facility

SNJ Distillers recently acquired a new facility in Orissa on lease basis and planning to invest Rs 4 crore to set up new lines there.

Besides this, the company is planning to upgrade its facilities in Kerala and Goa too at an investment of Rs 16 crore.

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