INDIA – Diageo India, the leading beverage alcohol company in India and a subsidiary of global leader Diageo plc, is intensifying premiumization in its portfolio in order to achieve a high double-digit growth from scotches.

The company is working on a premiumization strategy and reshaping its portfolio with renovations and innovations of brands such as Signature and Royal Challenge and scaling it up after getting the momentum.

The managing director & CEO Hina Nagarajan said the move is aimed at strengthening Diageo’s participation in prestige and accelerating growth rates which are visible in the results.

Besides focusing on accelerating the luxury and premium portfolio of scotch whisky, and strengthening participation in upper prestige, Diageo India has also introduced the Royal Challenge American Pride brand.

The brand is an American bourbon whiskey, which the company said is helping the company to address the young customers, who want accessible drinks.

The company views the launch as inclusive as the brand is attracting more women into the fold, making it continue to strengthen participation in upper prestige.

Moreover, Diageo India is also working on sustainability initiatives through brands and expects to be plastic waste positive.

It is also taking solar initiatives by doubling solar capacity from 1.3 to 2.6 MW, working on afforestation, and also aims to be a water-positive company by trying to replenish more water than it uses, as part of its sustainability agenda.

Additionally, Diageo India noted that under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), it has collected 41,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste by March, which it has been able to recycle.

It has committed itself to be plastic waste positive by end of June, as it is planning on collecting and recycling more plastic than they are putting out.

The push-in for its sustainability has also enabled it to cuts greenhouse emissions from 26,000 to 6,000 metric tonnes.

It further disclosed that it is still continuing to zero fossil fuel at its distilleries while also working towards net zero carbon by 2025 on Scope I & II operations and 2030 on Scope III operations.

The company has elevated its trajectory in packaging initiatives on the sustainability side to introduce the Hipster format, a portable scotch whisky in a pocket-sized format in a PET bottle.

The Black & White whisky brand is using a 100 percent biodegradable and recyclable Hipster pack and intends to introduce this move to all other brands over the next few months.

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