Alcohol has always been a popular choice among adults, and when it comes to drinks, beer holds a special place. It’s one of the most loved and widely consumed beverages and even seen as the ‘healthier’ option by many. But the beer market is so competitive and flooded with multiple players. This wave wasn’t started a year or decade ago, but it’s been there for a very long time.
Amongst these scenarios, starting out a brand and building an empire is highly complex and almost an impossible thing. But a brand that was started in the year 2015 proved it wrong by building its own empire and also created a separate fan base for its beer. That brand is none other than Bira 91.
Bira 91 was founded in 2015 by Ankur Jain, a Delhi-born entrepreneur who returned to India after spending years in the US, where he was inspired by the craft beer culture. He noticed a gap in the Indian market for flavourful, easy-to-drink beers tailored to younger, urban consumers.
What’s the difference between the normal beer and their beers? Well, they are not just serving the regular beer, but they introduced the craft beers. Let me explain. Craft beer refers to beer that is made in smaller batches using traditional brewing methods, with a strong focus on quality, unique Flavors, and experimentation. Unlike mass-produced commercial beers that often aim for a consistent but bland taste, craft beers are flavor-rich, often using special ingredients like wheat, citrus peels, aromatic hops, or exotic yeasts. The idea is to create a beer that’s more personal, more creative, and more enjoyable.
So, this gave them a separate edge to market themselves. But the problem is they have no brewing facility in India, as the founder was an importer for a period before starting out on this venture. So, he partnered with Belgian brewers and imported the beers and sold them here. That’s how it started initially, but it gained attention from big names in the VC space, and Sequoia joined hands in the early days. After a year or so again, they funded this startup, and that gave them the push to start their brewing facility in India. They started selling Bira White and Bira Blonde and gained massive attention from the people as well.
If we look at the journey and the numbers, it says a lot. In 2015, Bira 91 sold about 150,000 cases, and immediately in their next year, they sold about 700,000 cases. And when we specifically talk about the revenues, it is astonishing. In FY 23 they generated over INR 800 crore, and in FY 23 about INR 720 crore. Well, you may think it is all because of the high alcohol consumption in India, right? Well, let’s understand the scenario once to get a better insight.
Globally, beer leads in alcohol sales. But in India, the story is different. Here, spirits like whiskey, vodka, and rum dominate, holding nearly 70% of the market, while beer accounts for just around 30%. Within that, craft beer was practically not so famous in India until Bira 91 came and changed the game. The global craft beer market was projected to hit $30 billion in the US by 2030, but India’s own craft beer business was still in its early stages. Back in 2017, craft beer made up just 1–2% of the Indian beer market. Projections showed that India’s overall beer market could grow from $3 billion to $12 billion by 2028, and craft beer was expected to play a big part in that growth.
Bira 91 has created a successful brand, scaled it so fast, and built its empire. It has tested many marketing strategies, and most of them worked out well, driving the brand to its peak. But every story has its own set of advantages and challenges. This is where a simple change in the name has impacted the brand in a negative manner. This started when the company decided to file for its IPO.
As Bira 91’s parent company, B9 Beverages, prepared for its IPO, it removed “Private” from its name. While you think it is just like a small formality, it caused a major issue. You know In India, alcohol labels must be registered with state authorities, and a change in company name means all product labels must be re-registered. This forced Bira 91 to pause sales across multiple states for 4–6 months. During this time, they could not sell beer, even though demand was high. Because of this, it resulted in a loss. ₹80 crore worth of beer went unsold and had to be discarded. Sales dropped by 22%, and losses went up by 68%, reaching ₹748 crore, which is more than the year’s revenue of ₹638 crore.
This all didn’t happen because the company didn’t plan accordingly for the regulatory delays, and they didn’t get the approvals in advance, which led the company to face huge losses. But this company is not stopping, and it is planning for a massive expansion. Not just in India, but also it is entering various countries. Now they are already exporting to other countries like the US and UK and Southeast Asia.
So that’s how, after facing problems and challenges, it is setting up everything and aiming for the upcoming opportunities. When we actually find the gap and play it strategically, definitely we will be able to build brands that can build empires in less than a decade. It all lies in the idea and execution.
