Disrupting Brandy: Bacardi celebrates the entry into the category with Good Man

With an aim to solidify Bacardi's footing in the brown spirits category the company has launched its first-ever made in India innovation for the Indian consumer. With the launch of Good Man, Bacardi marks an entry into the premium Indian brandy category strengthening its brown spirits play. We discuss the launch and the brand’s Indian footprint with Sanjit Randhawa, Managing Director, Bacardi India, and Ayaesha Gooptu, Head of Innovations, AMEA (Asia Middle-East and Africa) at Bacardi.

Tell us a little about Bacardi’s India plan and how you are eyeing the market with this new launch?

Sanjit: Bacardi India is focused on disrupting the premium brandy segment by offering India's modern-day consumers an unparalleled experience with this latest innovation. We aim to grow the business five folds by 2030, and this launch reiterates our commitment to the market. It fortifies our premium portfolio as we continue to capture a larger share of the brown spirits category. It’s also a major step to strengthen our presence in the country, with this being the first in-house brand created in the market, specifically with the Indian consumer in mind.

Help us understand the innovation that you are bringing to the consumers with this new make

Ayaesha: At Bacardi, we keep consumers at the heart of everything we do. With innovation at the very core, Bacardi has always evolved and introduced new products to provide outstanding experiences to consumers. In line with that, Good Man, too, aims to offer an enhanced drinking experience to the Indian consumer. It is an important launch in the portfolio, from the 'Year of Innovations' perspective and we are very optimistic. Initially, we will focus on understanding consumer sentiment, and then we will take this brand to more markets.

What is unique about Good Man?

Ayaesha: Good Man is a premium blended brandy, the perfect amalgamation of grain spirit with premium French and Indian grape brandies that has been matured in oak casks for a minimum of two years. A meticulously crafted blend of woody flavours, fruity notes of pear, apple, a rich palate of raisin, drizzled with sweet vanilla and honey, this liquid is enjoyed neat, on ice, or with a mixer. Good Man celebrates the new-age consumers who seek to be the best version of themselves, enabling them to further find the courage to stay on their quest for individuality.

What about the Indian brandy market, what is the potential that you are trying to explore?

Sanjit: India is the largest brandy market globally, with 39% of the world’s consumption, and it’s the second-largest category in the country. While the brandy category is growing at 3% in the country, the premium brandy category is growing at a much faster rate at 16% (source: IWSR 2020). With the introduction of Good Man in India, Bacardi is set to become the only international spirits player in the premium brandy segment, thus reinforcing its commitment to grow and diversify in the highly competitive Indian market. India remains an important market for the company, and it falls within the top 10 priority markets for us. Leveraging Bacardi’s strong global and local leadership in premium spirits brands across categories, combined with the upward trend in India’s premium spirits market, the launch of Good Man aims to seize the opportunity and create a contemporary, bold brand for modern-day consumers.

Which are the markets where you look to release the Good Man to start with?

Sanjit: The southern states currently hold nearly 98% of the country’s overall brandy market share (source: IWSR 2020), and keeping this in mind, Good Man was first introduced to consumers in the South. It is available on shelves across Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, and Pondicherry. Consumers across the country, are open to experimenting more with their drink choices and are seeking for more premium experiences. Good Man, with its international lineage, aims to inspire this new-age Indian drinker to find their true voice, express their true self, and enjoy a drinking experience that is frankly a cut above all the rest.

As a brand you all are always focused on the consumer. How is the new-age consumer behaviour evolving presently?

Sanjit: With time, the demographics and consumption behaviour of Indian brandy consumers have evolved. However, no brand in this segment has evolved enough to meet the changing consumer demands. Taking cognizance of this, the Good Man aims to bridge these gaps by creating a contemporary and bold brand for modern-day drinker.
The strategic reason behind launching Good Man in South India is that the region heavily dominates the Indian Brandy market. Good Man is a new-age brand with an international lineage for the modern consumer.

In a line please tell us about the USP of Good Man and how it connects with the discerning men.

Ayaesha: Created by expert blend-masters, Good Man is a harmonious balance of strength and smoothness, with confident notes and elevated by the finesse of brandy from France. Modern age Indian men are redefining masculinity and are comfortable in their own skin. Today consumers are progressive, modern yet grounded, and authentic to their belief system. Their belief is defined by them rather than the external world. Good Man is for those who seek to be the best version of themselves, not for the outside world.

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