Cobra Beer to set up wineries in India

New Delhi: UK-based Cobra Beer is looking at setting up wineries in the country besides investing more in expanding the company's beer business in the domestic market.

'There are many locations in the country such as Uttarakhand and Karnataka where wineries could be created and we are studying the possibility of setting of wineries in the country,' Cobra Beer Promoter and Chairman Karan Bilimoria said.

'Currently, our wine brand 'General Bilimoria' is produced at 10 locations across the globe and we would soon start importing wine but setting up wineries in India would take some time,' he said while adding,'currently, duties on imported wines are too high and we would like to wait for some time till they come down'.

Cobra Beer is also investing in expanding its beer business in the country as it is looking to produce 10 million cases by 2010-11.

'Cobra Beer achieved the annualised production of around 3.5 million cases in July this year and by July next year, it will be around five million cases and by 2010-11, our total production would be around 10 million cases,' Bilimoria said.

When asked about the investment, he declined to give details but said: 'It would be to the tune of several million pounds.'