Latest news with #ExtraNeutralAlcohol
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Hindustan Times
80,000 litres of ethanol seized in Bathinda
In a major crackdown on illicit liquor, the Punjab excise department seized 80,000 litres of ethanol being allegedly transported illegally in two trucks in Bathinda and arrested eight individuals. Those arrested included four from Bathinda, two from Uttar Pradesh, and two from Nepal, and they were being interrogated by officials of the excise department and the police, said excise minister Harpal Singh Cheema. The two trucks bearing Gujarat registration numbers, and two cars and one SUV were also seized. The minister said the accused have been charged under various sections of the Excise Act, and Section 316 (breach of trust) and 125 (endangering human lives) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. He said the quantity of ethanol seized from the two trucks could have been used to produce approximately 3,75,000 bottles of country-made liquor, 2,50,000 bottles of English liquor, or 1,10,000 bottles of sanitiser. Cheema warned that those involved in manufacturing or sale of illegal liquor will not be spared. 'Strict action will be taken against everyone involved,' he said, urging manufacturing illegal liquor to shut down their operations immediately or face stringent legal consequences, including imprisonment. He also pointed out that some individuals smuggle ENA (Extra Neutral Alcohol) from Punjab to other states to produce liquor, while others manufacture and sell liquor within Punjab. 'Some misuse ethanol under the guise of producing sanitisers. Numerous such products are used as mediums for the misuse of ethanol,' he added. Cheema said in this particular case, ethanol was loaded at a factory located in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur. He said that excise officials are investigating the intended destination and purpose of the consignment.
Economic Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Radico Khaitan eyes super-premium whisky segment as Indian spirits market heats up
Radico Khaitan, one of India's leading spirits makers, announced its foray into the super-premium whisky segment in the first half of FY26, driven by rising demand for luxury alcoholic beverages in the country. The move comes as part of the company's broader premiumisation strategy, as Indian consumers increasingly trade up for high-end brands in the spirits market. ADVERTISEMENT 'Radico Khaitan has achieved another outstanding quarter, closing FY25 with its strongest financial results to date,' said Lalit Khaitan, Chairman & Managing Director. 'We posted an impressive 18% year-on-year revenue growth and recorded our highest-ever full-year EBITDA of ₹668 crore—a testament to the success of our long-term strategic initiatives.' The company has built momentum on the back of expanded backward integration, strengthened distribution, an active innovation pipeline, and effective consumer engagement. Despite challenges such as rising grain and ENA (Extra Neutral Alcohol) prices and volume pressures in the regular category, Radico Khaitan maintained strong volume growth and margin expansion.'With the Indian spirits industry witnessing an increasing shift toward premium and luxury brands, we are well-positioned to capitalize on long-term opportunities in this evolving market,' Khaitan said. Highlighting recent innovations, the company reported a 28% volume growth in Q4 FY25—the highest in three years—fueled in part by the launch of Ankahi Zaffran Spiced Liqueur, the first in its Ankahi Liqueur series. ADVERTISEMENT Looking ahead, Radico plans to introduce two new luxury brands developed over the past two years, alongside the super-premium whisky. 'These launches represent a significant leap in Radico Khaitan's premiumization journey, reaffirming our belief that the best is yet to come,' Khaitan added. ADVERTISEMENT With these introductions, Radico aims to address key gaps in its portfolio, bolster brand competitiveness, and capture growth in high-value categories. The company also expects robust double-digit growth in the Prestige & Above segment and is prioritising focused marketing, distribution expansion, and long-term shareholder value creation. ADVERTISEMENT (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Mint
05-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Up 200% in 3 years, 700% in 5 years! ICICI Sec sees another 19% upside in this liquor stock. Do you own it?
Radico Khaitan, one of the most recognized IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) brands in India, saw its share price jump 4% in intraday trade on Monday, May 5, reaching ₹ 2,545 apiece after domestic brokerage firm ICICI Securities initiated coverage on the stock with a 'buy' rating and a target price of ₹ 2,900 apiece. This implies an upside potential of around 19% from the stock's previous closing price. The stock has already delivered a stellar run in recent years, gaining nearly 200% in the last three years, 700% over the last five years, and over 2,000% in the past decade, driven by a steady rise in demand for premium and luxury alcohol brands. Despite the stellar rise in Radico Khaitan's stock price, ICICI Securities remains optimistic, citing the steady increase in demand for white spirits—a segment where Radico holds strong leadership. The company commands a 60% market share in the vodka segment and a 50% share in the luxury gin category. The brokerage expects strong double-digit growth in white spirits, especially in premium offerings, driven by rising preference among younger consumers and the versatility of white spirits for cocktail-based, on-trade consumption. In addition, the company is expanding its whisky portfolio with the launch of Indian single malt offerings. Over the past decade, Radico has launched several successful products in this segment. It has also revamped existing brands like 8PM Premium Black and After Dark in the lower and mid-prestige segments with modern packaging, driving strong growth over the past two years. Over the past 15 years, Radico has built a strong premium portfolio, supported by consumer demand and around 25 new brand launches. Its performance in the P&A (Prestige and Above) segment has driven a 13% volume CAGR over FY19–24, compared to a 3% volume decline in the regular segment, as per the brokerage. ICICI Securities expects Radico Khaitan's margin improvement trajectory to continue, projecting a 200 basis point (bps) margin expansion between FY25 and FY27. Over FY22–24, margins were under pressure due to steep inflation in Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) and glass prices. However, in the first nine months of FY25, the company saw a 130 bps year-on-year margin recovery—driven by premiumization, easing glass-price inflation, and price hikes in key states. Looking ahead, the growing focus on launching new products in the P&A segment is expected to further increase its contribution. This will be aided by Radico expanding into more profitable, P&A brand-heavy states. The contribution from P&A brands is projected to increase to 48% in volume and 78% in value by FY27E. Furthermore, the company's investment in backward integration is expected to support long-term margin expansion. ICICI Securities expects return ratios to improve, with RoE and RoCE rising from 11% and 10%, respectively, to 20% and 18% over FY24–27E. The brokerage remains optimistic about Radico Khaitan's execution capabilities and its ability to identify and launch successful brands in untapped ("white space") segments—justifying its premium valuation. ICICI Securities projects revenue and earnings CAGRs of 15% and 39%, respectively, supported by 15% volume growth in the P&A segment and 4% in the popular segment. The growing contribution of P&A brands (currently at 39% of volume in FY24) and declining commodity prices are expected to improve operating margins by 220 bps, reaching 16.3% by FY27E. Strong execution, premiumization, and improving operating metrics are expected to help the company maintain its premium valuation in the coming years. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations given in this article are those of individual analysts. These do not represent the views of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. First Published: 5 May 2025, 01:52 PM IST
Hindustan Times
27-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Over 2,200 litres of illegally pilfered ENA seized in Punjab; potential hooch tragedy averted
Chandigarh, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Sunday said there has been a significant breakthrough in the state's ongoing war against drugs campaign, with the seizure of 2,240 litres of illegally pilfered Extra Neutral Alcohol , averting a potential major hooch tragedy. Cheema, who also holds Excise and Taxation portfolios, highlighted the campaign's success in registering 4,745 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act cases, arresting 7,536 individuals, and demolishing illegal properties of 71 smugglers. According to an official statement, Cheema, who also chairs the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' Cabinet Sub-Committee, said, "Acting on credible intelligence, a joint team of the Excise Department and Sangrur Police intercepted a vehicle on the Sangrur-Dirba Highway carrying approximately 200 litres of illicit ethanol. The driver, identified as Shaan Mohd., was apprehended." "Further investigation led to the discovery of a clandestine storage facility, resulting in the recovery of 34 drums, each containing 60 litres, totaling 2,040 litres of ENA. Another accused, Armaan Mohd, was also taken into custody during the raid," he added. Cheema said that this operation has successfully prevented a potential hooch tragedy, as this ENA could have been used to produce nearly 10,000 bottles of illicit liquor. He said that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend all individuals involved in the racket, and stringent legal action will be taken against them. Providing more details of the progress under the "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign, Cheema said that significant quantities of drugs have been seized, including 301 kg of heroin, 9,969 kg of poppy husk, 154 kg of opium, 96 kg of cannabis and 21,84,276 tablets or capsules of banned drugs. The minister highlighted the success of the coordinated efforts between the state Excise and Police departments in curbing the smuggling of illicit liquor in the state. Attributing the success of the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign to the support of the people, he expressed gratitude to the citizens of Punjab for their cooperation and assistance in the war against drugs and illicit liquor trade. Meanwhile, In a major action under the campaign, Commissionerate Police Jalandhar on Sunday demolished illegal constructions made by drug smugglers in Lakhanpal village, a locality long notorious as a major drug hotspot. This came a day after Moga Police with the help of district administration on Saturday demolished four "illegally" constructed houses of notorious drug smugglers in Daulewala village of Moga. According to an official statement, Jalandhar Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur said that Lakhanpal village, traditionally infamous for rampant drug sale and supply, had been under close surveillance. Acting swiftly, a joint team of the Panchayat Department and Jalandhar Commissionerate Police razed unauthorized structures built on government land by known drug peddlers. The action, focused on cutting the roots of the drug network, marks a significant step in reclaiming the area from the clutches of narcotics, the statement said. Police investigations revealed that the primary accused who encroached the government land, Hardeep Singh alias Deepa, a history-sheeter, had nine cases registered against him, including seven under the NDPS Act. Dhanpreet Kaur said the demolished encroachment was being misused by drug peddlers to cross over rooftops and escape during police raids.
