Top it Up,Ladies

Until a few years ago,the idea of a liquor shop inside a grocery store or even women walking into one to pick up their choice of spirit may have seemed absurd to many. However,today,across most metropolitan cities,one expects to find at least a wine and beer rack housed in most supermarkets. “It’s a matter of convenience,” explains the 27-year-old marketing professional who enjoys experimenting with cocktails. “I’d rather stock up here since I visit once every week.”

A move towards their goal to “sell a lifestyle under one roof”,HyperCity considers their investment in the liquor store on the premises a key feature. “Women are the new drinkers and purchasers of spirits and what better place to market these products than at restaurants and hypermarts which they are likely to visit repeatedly? Ninety per cent of our patrons purchasing spirits are either women or men who have walked in to help their partner shop,” points out Ashutosh Chakradeo,head of buying,merchandising and supply,HyperCity.

Today,marketing and selling of spirits at grocery stores is only one aspect of exploring the female segment of consumers. With cultural biases,that look down upon women who would consume alcohol,blurring away,spirit companies are increasingly looking for avenues to lure the segment. In fact,according to Sumedh Singh Mandla,CEO,Aspri Spirits,currently,women dominate at least 40 per cent of the market,which they hope to tap in the near future.

Even Jack Daniels,the premium whiskey and scotch brand,which is set to introduce their Tennessee Honey Whiskey in India,may be giving this smoother,sweeter variety a women-centric bend since it is apt to prepare shooters. “As opposed to single malts and whiskeys,which have a strong flavour,many women opt for cocktails and shooters. Though introduction of this liquor isn’t directly aimed at women,it may be a good way of exploring that segment through mixes,” admits Amrit Kiran Singh of Jack Daniel’s India.

Unlike earlier,wine companies,too,are looking at women as a consumer equal to their male counterparts. “At wine tastings and events that we organise,men and women are at par as consumers and they attend in equal numbers,” says Nikhil Agarwal of All Things Nice,a company that offers a platform for knowledge and exchange of experiences of wines,luxury spirits and gourmet foods through various events. Shreejith Mohan,head of category,Godrej Nature’s Basket,points out that their paid wine tasting session in Mumbai recently saw more women attendees than men.

However,breaking into the women segment offers its own set of challenges. To start with,says Mandla,they have to convert the vast majority of non-drinkers to drinkers. And to do so,the products offered to them have to suit the feminine palate. “We have close to 70 products under Aspri of which most constitute wines,white spirits like vodka and flavoured liqueurs such as Amarula Cream. It is easier to get non-drinker women to experiment with alcohol through milder,more flavourful spirits and cocktails,” he explains.

Seconding the claim,Agarwal admits that since wine is more approachable in terms of appearance,flavours and social perception,it is perceived as a woman-friendly spirit. “Yet,amidst the many varietals available in the market,it is the bubblies,dessert wines and sweeter ones that work best with women,” he points out.

Shahana Mandkar will vouch for that. Brought up in a rather conservative household in Nagpur,the 32-year-old teacher grew up believing that all alcohol is bitter. It was not until she married Pune-based IT professional and whiskey aficionado Punit Mandkar that she was willing to challenge the deep-seeded theory. “It started as a joke where Punit wanted to prove that alcohol need not always taste bitter and bad. He took me for a vineyard tour of Sula in Nashik and that changed everything. Now,we attend almost every wine festival that takes place in Pune and Nashik. Though I’ve tried other spirits too,wine remains my favourite with Kahlua,a close second,” she says.

To appeal to women,the marketing for such products also takes on a twist. “We organise launches at popular restaurants and invite women celebrities to initiate the perception and heighten the recall value. Even our bottles for such spirits look trendier,” Mandla explains.

Chakradeo also feels that setting up liquor shops and counters at supermarts makes the purchase of spirits women-friendly. “At a typical wine shop or liquor store,women may be uncomfortable at being outnumbered by men or may feel intimidated and judged. But a supermarket is their territory,which will put them at ease when they pick up a bottle of their favourite poison,” he points out.

However,spirits such as beer and whiskey,traditionally considered more macho,are also gradually rearranging their marketing as increasingly women defy convention and take to these spirits.

Bacardi India,which also owns Dewar’s Scotch Whisky,heavily invests in more subtle aspects like redefining popular perceptions. “It is encouraging that Bacardi decided to train us extensively in Europe to make us among the first women scotch consultants. And it possibly helps when the consultant helping a woman try out various varieties of scotch is a woman,” says Nisha Shah,who works as a consultant with Dewar’s Scotch Whisky.

Kingfisher,as a brand,has involved itself in the fashion and lifestyle arena for over a decade — be it the popular Kingfisher calendar,the fashion shows,the annual New Year party in Goa or the spirits that they often sponsor for large-scale events. Out of the Blue,a popular eatery in Mumbai’s plush Bandra suburb recently hosted another session of Kingfisher Bazaar,where clothes,accessories,home décor items etc were on sale. “Women are the major attraction for the bazaar and are also the new sector to be tapped for liquor sales. The women who attended the bazaar were also the main takers for beer which was feature priced. Such aggressive marketing is bound to bring in new buyers,” says Sartaj Bedi,General Manager,Out of the Blue.

While women in metropolitan cities remain the key segment for spirit companies to explore,Agarwal feels that the real scope probably lies in Tier II and III cities. “We are successfully running liquor shops in HyperCity branches across Mumbai,Hyderabad,Bhopal,Amritsar and Bangalore,” says Chakradeo. Agarwal adds,“Women in cities like Chandigarh,Jamshedpur,Nashik and Pune,with the growing exposure to a multicultural lifestyle,are being considered as their next target segment by many spirit companies. Through media and higher disposable income,they will soon be at par on the global map with cities like Delhi,Mumbai and Bangalore.”