United Spirits Limited
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BSE Code:
532432
NSE Code:
UNITDSPR
Business Profile
Business Profile
United Spirits (UNITDSPR) is the spirits division of the UB Group. It was originally incorporated as McDowell & Co. in 1999. On the amalgamation of eight spirit companies into the company including Herbertsons, Triumph Distillers & Vintnersgot, and Shaw Wallace, the company got its current name in 2005.
The company focuses primarily in the Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) segment. The main liquor products are whisky, brandy, rum, gin and vodka. It offers over 140 brands including 15 millionaire brands manufactured in 75 locations across the country. Some of its brands like McDowell`s No.1 Whisky, McDowell`s No.1 Celebration Rum, McDowell`s No.1 Brandy, and Bagpiper Whiskey occupy the top rungs in India in terms of volume. Its key liquor brand McDowell No.1 Brandy is the largest selling brandy in the world.
In 2006, the company acquired the wine-manufacturing French company Bouvet Ladubay and in 2007 acquired 100% stake in Whyte & Mackay, a leading distiller of Scotch whisky. It acquired majority stake in Liquidity, a Delaware Corporation engaged in the business of alcoholic beverages through its Cyprus-based wholly-owned subsidiary Zelinka. The company launched the brands ZINZI and Bouvet Ladubay in 2007 and has planned to launch the Four Seasons range of premium brands from October 2008. India`s largest winery being built in Baramati would be fully operational by December 2008. It has planned to set up a 30-Kiloliter grain-based whisky plant in Asansol, West Bengal.
The other subsidiaries of the company include Daffodils Flavours and Fragrances, McDowell & Co. (Scotland), Bouvet Ladubay SAS, and Chapin Landais SAS. The company exports products to over 20 countries worldwide. The registered office is located at Le Parc Richemonde, 51, Richmond Road, Bangalore-560025.
Financials
The company reported a substantial drop in standalone net profit for the quarter ended December 2008. During the quarter, the profit of the company declined 65.30% to Rs 305.90 million from Rs 881.50 million in the same quarter previous year. Net sales for the quarter rose 17.02% to Rs 10,402.40 million, while total income for the quarter rose 15.22% to Rs 10,352.80 million, when compared with the prior year period. It reported earnings of Rs 3.05 a share during the quarter, registering 66.41% decline over previous year period.
Recent Developments
16-DEC-08
The company has introduced rum and whiskey in 90 and 60 ml PET High-end whiskies single-use packs, in Karnataka and Maharashtra respectively, on a test basis last week, reports Economic Times.
01-DEC-08
The company has said on Dec. 01, 2008 that its board had approved the merger of Balaji Distilleries, into USL in an all stock deal. The merger will be effective from Apr. 01, 2009.
Future Plans
In April 2009, the company plans to launch non-alcoholic energy drinks under its Vodka brand -- Romanov Red. The energy beverages will hit the shelves in 4-6 months.