India: Pernod Ricard to set up malt distillery in Nagpur

Spirits company Pernod Ricard India on February 23 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the government of Maharashtra to establish a malt distillery in Nagpur, the Business Standard reported.

The company said that it plans to invest up to Rs 1,800 crore (€ 200 million) for this in the decade.

The distillery, one of the biggest in India, will have a capacity of up to 60,0000 litres per day and 13 million litres annually. With this project, the company eventually aims to procure up to 50,000 tonnes of barley on an annual basis from farmers nationwide to produce malt spirits Longitude 77, Blender’s Pride and Royal Stag. “We are excited to announce the launch of one of India’s biggest malt spirit distilleries, to be set up in Nagpur. This initiative is in continuation of our dedicated efforts to Make and Innovate in India and we are confident that it will elevate India's standing on the global map, as a key player in the production of high-quality malt,” said Jean Touboul, chief executive officer, Pernod Ricard India, in a press release. The company aims to ultimately employ a workforce of up to 700 to 800.

“The foundation of this distillery will assist in creating strong avenues for employment and aid in spurring growth of ancillary industries and services. And most importantly this would serve as a platform of opportunities for thousands of farmers of the region to attain steady income and bring agricultural diversity and stability,” said Devendra Fadnavis, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.

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