Kevin Pietersen-Backed Ardent Alcobev Eyes North India Expansion With Dram Bell Scotch Whisky

The Kevin Pietersen-backed Ardent Alcobev, an emerging player in the premium alcohol beverage sector, is looking to expand in North Indian market, according to its co-founder and director Debashish Shyam.

"In the next month or two, we will be expanding into eight more states, with Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan as key targets in the North," he said, while speaking with NDTV Profit.

The company’s flagship product, Dram Bell Blended Scotch Whisky, bottled at origin in Scotland, has made an impressive debut in Maharashtra. "We are also eyeing expansion into Goa, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh. By May, we aim to be present in 8-9 states," Shyam added. He also hinted at the introduction of additional brands, which are currently in development.

Within just 60 days—from early December 2024 to early February 2025—Ardent Alcobev sold over 60,000 bottles of Dram Bell across Maharashtra. The whisky is now available in nearly 1,000 off- and on-trade outlets, including key markets like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Kolhapur, Solapur, Thane-Raigad, and Aurangabad.

Kevin Pietersen, former England cricketer and marquee investor in Ardent Alcobev, expressed confidence in the brand. "It was an easy decision for me to invest once I saw a detailed analysis of the whisky market and consumer trends. Given the way this country is evolving, I wanted to be part of its growth," he said. "If we capture even a small percentage of the market, it will be a rewarding investment for all of us."

Despite being an imported product, Dram Bell is priced only slightly higher than Indian-made foreign whiskies. "Indian consumers, who have long been drinking homegrown whiskies, can now experience a truly imported product at a marginal premium," Shyam noted.

The premium bottled whisky market in India stands at approximately 15 million cases annually. Shyam projects that Dram Bell will capture a 1% market share by the next financial year, translating to sales of approximately 100,000 to 150,000 cases.