Unrevealing the secrets of success of Old Monk in India

1. Unrevealing the secrets of
success of Old Monk in India
By: Poorva

2. What is Dark Rum?
• Also referred to as Heavy body rums
• Made by aging the clear rum in charred oak barrels
• Possessing a greater flavour than White Rum or even Gold Rum
• Usually in deep brown colour and strong but sweeter taste
• Regularly flavoured with caramel, spices, molasses, vanilla and other
subtle flavourings

3. How Rum is made
• Rum production first begins with Sugarcanes
• Mature sugarcanes are harvested by hands
• The cane is then crushed in a mill
• The crushing of the cane helps to extract the juice from the pulp
• The crushed pulp waste is then burned to generate power to crush
the cane and sometimes to heat a distillation column
• Now that you have the sugar cane juice, three different things can
happen – 1
• One can proceed directly to fermenting and distilling, which is
popular in French west indies
2
• One can cook down and concentrate the sugar cane juice into syrup
and the syrup is then fermented and distilled
3
• One can process the juice into molasses and crystallized sugar. The
crystallized sugar is sold as a sweetening product, and the molasses is
sold to a distillery to be fermented and distilled into rum

4. Contd..
• The next step is fermentation, which varies by distillery, and is of two
types- Natural and Laboratory like.
• Then comes distilling in which fermented liquid is heated in a sealed
vessel to approximately 175 degrees Fahrenheit, evaporating the alcohols
from the liquid. The alcohols are then re-condensed and collected,
yielding the raw spirit
• The distilled raw spirit will be between 70% and 95% alcohol by volume
• Some rum, are simply bottled and sold. Most rum is aged and some rum
gets infused with herbs, fruits, and spices or deliberately blended with
juices or extracts to produce a flavoured rum product. Most rum is diluted
with water to 40%-50% alcohol by volume

5. Which part of the country is it popular in?
• India – drinking a massive amount of dark rum as compared
to rest of the world
• More than 400 million litres a year
• From the observations of the “off trade” it was found that
almost majority of the drinking population prefers Old
Monk over other Brands
• Moreover Old Monk has a long trail of brand loyal
customers, which makes it the choice of all the segment

6. Old Monk

7. Introduction
Honoured all over the world, Old Monk had been awarded gold medals
at Monde World Selections since 1982. Its a classic 7 years blended
dark rum. With the first drop of Old Monk Rum, the sheer aroma of
distilled cane sugar grown in lush green fields of India, stirs up the age
old legend. Old Monk Rum is a form of the legendary 'Some-ras'of
India's century’s old scriptures--The Drink of Gods and Lords of India.
“Old monk is to liquor as Bullet is to motorcycles”

8. Contd..
• One of the oldest and best selling rum all over the world
• Producer Mohan Meakin established a distillery with help of Edward Dyer at
Kasauli in the Himalayan mountains
• They initially engaged themselves in the production of Lion Beer – which was
appreciated as high quality beer
• Later in 1954, Mohan Maekin introduced the ‘Old Monk Rum’ to the world
• Old Monk is a 7 years old blended velvet smooth dark rum
• Launched in 1954
• Ever since its launch the most famous variant has not changed- not in design,
not in packaging and most importantly Taste
• Produced in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh
• Available in all parts of India

9. Mohan Maekin Ltd.
• A multi-faceted business house with a turnover exceeding INR 400
crores
• Producer Mohan Meakin established the very first Brewery with
help of Edward Dyer at Kasauli in the Himalayan mountains
• Within the same century H.G.Maekin along with E.Dyers launched
the Lion Beer at a rock bottom price
• The Beer played its valuable part by keeping the soldiers of the
allied nations in perfect pep and cheer
• In 1980, the company got its name- ‘Mohan Maekin Ltd.’
• Earlier it was known as ‘Mohan Maekin Breweries Ltd.’

10. Units of Mohan Maekin Ltd.
• Old Monk owns 6 distilleries in India and abroad
Kasauli (H.P.) Distillery (Producing Malt Spirit)
Lucknow (U.P.) Distillery & Spirit Bottling Plant
Mohangram P.O. Bhankarpur Distt. Mohali (Punjab) Spirit Bottling Plant
Mohan Nagar (Ghaziabad) (U.P.) Brewery
Distillery
Glass Factory
Food Products Factory
Fruit Juice Factory
Mineral Water Division
Malt Extract Unit
Ice Factory
Cold Storage
Mohan Engineering Works

11. Products
WHISKIES- Summer Hall, Colonel's Special, Golden Eagle, Top Brass, Diplomat Deluxe, Black
Knight, Solan No.1, Cellar 117, MMB & Blue Bull
BEERS- Golden Eagle Lager, Golden Eagle Deluxe Premium, Lager, Gold Lager Beer (Herbal
Beer), Golden Eagle Super Strong Beer, Gymkhana Premium Lager, Asia 72 Extra
Strong Lager, Black Knight Super Strong, Solan No.1 Premium Beer, I Q Beer, Lion
Beer, Meakins 10000 Super Strong, Old Monk Super Strong
BRANDIES- Triple Crown, Doctor's Reserve No.1, D.M., MMB
RUMS- Old Monk Supreme Rum, Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum, Old Monk XXX Rum, Old
Monk Deluxe XXX Rum, Old Monk White Rum
GINS- Big Ben London (Export Quality)
JUICES- Mohun's Gold Coin Apple Juice
MINERAL WATER- Golden Eagle Mineral Water, Mohun's Mineral Water
BREAKFAST FOODS- Mohun's New Life Corn Flakes, Mohun's Wheat Porridge, Mohun's Wheat Flakes,
Mohun's Wheat Dali
VINEGARS- Mohun's Brewed Vinegar, Mohun's Non-Fruit Vinegar

12. Rum Variants
• Old Monk Supreme Rum
• Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum
• Old Monk XXX Rum
• Old Monk Deluxe XXX Rum
• Old Monk White Rum

13. Old Monk Supreme Rum
• Aged for 12 years
• Blended with highly matured spirits
• Comes in a special bottle with a shape of standing monk
• The top head of the monk is the bottle’s cap which doubles up as a
peg measure
• A 750 ml bottle of old monk supreme contains 42.8% alcohol & is
available in Haryana for ₹600

14. Old Monk Gold Reserve Rum
• Like Old Monk Supreme, it is also aged for 12 years
• A 750 ml bottle of old monk supreme contains 42.8%
alcohol & is available in Haryana for ₹550
• Blended with highly matured spirits

15. Old Monk XXX Rum
• The surface of the bottle is textured which helps you to get the grip
• Awarded gold medals at Monde World Selections since 1982
• Its a classic 7 years blended dark rum
• A 750 ml bottle of old monk supreme contains 42.8% alcohol & is
available in Haryana for ₹220

16. OLD Monk White Rum
• Aged for 7 years
• Blended with mature spirits
• A 750 ml of Old Monk white rum is available in Haryana for
₹350

17. Segmentation
Geographic
India (where it is
produced)
Global Presence
(rest of the world)
Demographic
Gender- primarily
Male
Age- middle to older
aged segment
25-55 years old
Income- middle to
high income
segment
Behavioural
Preference of hard
liquor
Loyalty of the
customers
Psychographic
Lifestyle – regular
drinkers and those
having it 1-2 times a
week
Adventurous social
class

18. • Bacardi black is majorly being preferred by the upper segment of the society
• Old Monk is the choice for the people of the middle segment, however, Old
Monk is having a long trail of brand loyal customers, which makes it the
choice of the majority of people in all the three segments
• Whereas, McDowell’s is preferred amongst the people of the lower segment
Quart – ₹350, pint-
₹180, nip - ₹100
Quart - ₹300, pint -
₹160 , nip - ₹100
Quart - ₹300, pint- ₹160,
nip - ₹100

19. • If we talk about gender, majority of males prefers dark rum
• However, as per the salesmen at the outlets, an average of 30% of
the females on an annual basis, were visiting the outlets for DARK
Rum
• Talking about the age group, Bacardi Black is preferred mostly by
the younger generation (below 35/40)
• Old Monk is preferred is usually by the people of all age group due to
the heavy amount of brand loyal customers that the brand is having
• Whereas, McDowell’s is preferred by the older generation of the
country (above 40)

20. Q Which variants sell more in Old Monk and
McDowell’s?
• In Old Monk, Old Monk XXX Rum is the first preference of
the customers, which is also the highest selling rum variant
in the country
• In McDowell’s, the McDowell’s Celebration rum is the most
preferable rum variant amongst the customers

21. SKU’s
• Bacardi black – Pint and Nip being majorly preferred by the
consumers
• Old Monk – Quart, Pint, Nip and Miniature
• McDowell’s – Pint and Nip

22. Decline of Sales of Old Monk
• A decade back, old monk was the India's biggest selling
spirit brand
• But now Old Monk sells just one fourth of it Rival Brand –
‘McDowell’s’
• Had a decline of 11% in sales in the year 2012
• Industry estimates suggests that the Old Monk will sell less
than 4m cases in the coming years as compared to the sale
of 8m cases in the year 2002

23. Reasons for the Decline
• The manufacturer had never spent much on the positioning,
branding or marketing of the product
• Moreover Old Monk had reduced its prices over the recent
years which make Old Monk a choice for the lower segment
• McDowell’s took the advantage of the same by pricing
themselves 20% above the Old Monk

24. Acquisition as an Option
• Despite declining sales, Old Monk still has a huge number of
brand loyal customers
• A survey conducted on 650,000 people in 12 cities stated
that 80% of them preferred Old Monk and Bacardi over
other brands
• If done some branding and positioning, the brand can hit up
like a rocket
• Hence, Old Monk could be one of the best option for
acquisition

25. Old Monk Promotions Till Date
• One of the most proffered Rum by Indians
• Old Monk never believed in Surrogate Advertising like
other liquor brands
• They focused on making Old Monk available almost
everywhere through a well established network of
distributers
• Popularity was dependent on the loyalty of customers and
Word of Mouth (WoM)

26. Future Promotion Plans
The promotion of the brand will be done in 2 ways:
• Online Promotions
• On Ground Promotions

27. Online Promotions

28. Looking Ahead
– They aim to create a single platform on Facebook that
would allow all the members of these various groups to
come together. What this would enable is to have a
common meeting point to the consumers and fans of
the brand. Information and offers can be passed on
from here.
– They would create an official fan page and community.

29. The Wise Old Monk Speaks
– They would have a Twitter account with regular
tweets from the ‘Wise Old Monk’.
– Tweets would include new recipes using Old
Monk, wise sayings, quotes, etc.

30. Website
They aim at creating a official Old Monk website that creates for us a virtual
space to connect and communicate to the younger generation of Old Monkers.
The website would include:
• The Monk Hotspots (this will feature review of various bars across different
cities)
• Different type of contests that would have discount coupons and merchandise
as prizes
• Recipes of various mixes and cocktails using Old Monk
• A special section for music that would have songs that would fit the genre of Old
Monk
• The Shop Zone which would sell exclusive and limited Old Monk merchandise

31. On Ground Promotions

32. Activations
• These activations would happen in selected bars that have
been featured in the Monk Hotspot section of the website.
• There would be contests and games which would revolve
around Old Monk.
• Allows people to interact more closely with the brand and
gives them a chance to win exclusive Old Monk prizes.

33. In-store Promotions & Branding
There would be in-store and branding promotions that would take
place to boost the awareness and sales of the brand. These would
include:
• Danglers
• Counter top & shelf stickers
• Special offers if a customers purchases more than a specific number
of bottles
• Scratch card contests

34. New Variants
Mohan maekin is now planning to give its bottles a new
avatar, where in the bottles will soon flaunt a fancy sticker
labels to enhance their look. They are also planning to
launch two new variants of Old Monk that would be in
direct competition with Bacardi Breezer. This would be pre-
bottled, ready to drink mixes that contains Old Monk. The
two new variants are:
• Old Monk Regular (Old Monk + Coke)
• Old Monk Twist (Old Monk + Coke + Lime)

35. Growth of McDowell’s No.1 Celebration Rum
Launched in 1991, today McDowell's No.1 Celebration Rum sells in excess of 14 million
cases with a reach across 13 countries that, makes Celebration the 2nd largest selling dark
rum in the world. Part of the McDowell's franchise with the highest FMCG retail value of
₹8300 crores, Celebration Rum is the largest selling rum in India, with a market share of
45% and growing. The proud recipient of several prestigious awards, Celebration Rum
owes it success largely to the high quality standards that McDowell's No.1 Celebration
Rum provides its consumers and this has been recognized at the highest International
level.
McDowell's No.1 Celebration Rum has won the following awards for its blend
– Silver from the Beverage Tasting Institute, Chicago, USA, in 2008
– Bronze at the Monde Selection 2006
– 2 Stars at the ITQI Awards 2006
– Silver at the IWSC 2005

36. Reasons for Growth
• The exceptional increase in demand for rum in North India
(Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh, Bihar, Gujrat) during
winters, have increased the sales of the McDowell’s rum
• Celebration operate in a price range of ₹160 to ₹170 per
bottle across the country, except in Tamil Nadu which
makes it affordable for the lower segment too
• The marketing and the promotional strategy of Celebration
is also better than that of McDowell’s. After all we have Shah
Rukh Khan promoting the brand in India

37. Learnings for Bacardi Black
• Maybe sometime, excessive marketing and positioning is not everything that an
alcohol brand requires to increase its sales, as seen in the case of Old Monk Rum
• Bacardi Black can be referred as Laggards as it is a Rum brand which was
launched in the Indian Market at a very later stage, when OM and McDowell’s
had already positioned themselves in the in the minds of the consumers
• OM took the first mover advantage by launching themselves in India during
1930’s, due to which people in India associate OM with a rum which is a legacy
since a way back and that it was also drank by our ancestors
• BB should also target those above 40 years of age, as it is majorly popular
amongst the youth of the country and not the older generation

38. Few Promotion Strategy
• Engage customers in sampling through an interesting
mechanism (learning from Frito lays and Bourneville)
• organise contests and games which would revolve around
Bacardi Black at select Bars and Clubs
• can start - Bacardi call initiative

39. Suggestions from Salesmen
• Improvisation in tasting notes and aroma
• To run a GWP drive on Bacardi Black(eg. Bacardi black and
coke/merchandise)
• Drive aggressive salesmen incentive schemes
• To increase promoter led promotions at wine shops

40. Ron Zacapa

41. Introduction
Ron Zacapa is a premium rum produced in Guatemala by
Rum Creation and Products, a subsidiary of Industrias
Licoreras de Guatemala, and distributed and marketed
by Diageo (2008). Zacapa was created in 1976 to celebrate
the centenary of the foundation of Zacapa, a town in
eastern Guatemala.

42. How is it made?
• The plantation of the rum is located on the volcanic plains of Retalhuleu, 1148ft
above sea level in south-western Guatemala
• Due to the fertile, acidic soil and year-round sunshine, no other place in the world is
better suited to the cultivation of sugar cane
• Most rums use molasses, a by-product of the sugar making process, as their base;
Zacapa, however, is different – uses only virgin sugarcane honey (concentrated first
press of sugarcane)
• Further the fermentation is done from the strain of yeast extracted from pineapples
• This yeast produces the precise aromatic compounds Zacapa requires
• The fermentation process is really slow, so that the yeast gets the time it needs to
work

43. Contd..
• Distillation:
– A single column still, lined with copper to add flavour and remove
impurities, is used to distil Zacapa Rum
• The whole process is minutely controlled by their experts

44. Maturation
• The House Above the Clouds is the name of the place where the rum is matured,
which lies in the highlands of Quetzaltenango, 7544ft above sea level
– One of the highest ageing facility
– the cool temperature slows the ageing process, while the thinner air
and lower atmospheric pressure helps intensify the infusion of
flavours from the barrels
• The rum is then aged using Sistema Solera (a 500 years old Spanish technique)
• Every drop of rum passes through each type of cask, allowing each one to share its
aromas and flavours with the maturing liquid. The result is a remarkable rum of
exceptional quality

45. Sistema Solera
In the solera process, a succession of containers are filled
with the product over a series of equal aging intervals
(usually a year). One container is filled for each interval. At
the end of the interval after the last container is filled, the
oldest container in the solera is tapped for part of its
content, which is bottled. Then that container is refilled
from the next oldest container, and that one in succession
from the second-oldest, down to the youngest container,
which is refilled with new product. This procedure is
repeated at the end of each aging interval. The transferred

46. Craftsmanship
• Every bottle of Zacapa has a petate band on it
• Each petate band is traditionally hand-woven in villages of
the Departments of Chiquimula

47. Rum variants
• Zacapa 15
• Zacapa 23
• Zacapa XO

48. Zacapa XO
• Blended from solera aged stocks which range in age from 6
years to 25 years
• Won Gold in the Super-Premium category at the
International Rum Festival for several years after its
release in 2000, and was given the Platinum award for the
Super-Premium category in 2002
• Ron Zacapa XO displays rich notes of toasted oak, burnt
caramel, roasted nuts, marzipan and orange peel
• Alcohol by Volume: 40%
• A 750ml bottle of Zacapa XO is available in Delhi for 99$

49. Zacapa 23
 Aged between 6 and 23 years
 Alcohol by Volume – 40%
 Matured in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks
 A 750ml bottle of Zacapa 23 is available in Delhi
for ₹6035

50. Zacapa 15
Aged between 5 and 15 years
Alcohol by Volume – 40%
Made with peach, dried tropical fruits and a hint of
nutmeg
A 1000ml bottle of Zacapa 15 is available in Delhi for
$55

51. Tilak Nagar Industries
• Promoted in 1933 by Babasaheb Dahanukar
• A subsidiary of The Maharashtra Sugar Mills Ltd
• Engaged in the business of manufacture and distribution of
spirit and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL)
• The company has also made a record of paying Dividend
from the last 50 years

52. Products
• Mansion House Whisky
• A flawless blend of rare Scotch malts and select Indian
grain matured to perfection. Full-bodied with a rich oaken
flavour, it reveals a unique texture.
Nose - Rich, vibrant and balanced notes of malt, peaty,
smoky and fruity flavours
Colour - Clear golden amber
Taste - Smooth, with hints of oak, malt and light fruity
notes

53. Senate Royale Whisky
• An amalgamation of pristine Indian spirit with
imported scotch malts skilfully blended to
produce a distinctive scotch and a warm after-
taste.
Nose - Distinctive Scotch aroma
Colour – Rich Golden
Taste - Very smooth with a lingering aftertaste of
fine scotch

54. BLACPOWER Whisky
• Blended with the finest spirits, it is the most authentic,
full-bodied whisky for those who savour the essence of
life. It unleashes raw power making every sip a power
trip.
• Nose – Breath-taking and powerful, it stirs the senses
• Colour – Light tones of a rich golden sunset
• Taste – Peaty. At once striking and dominating

55. Senate Whisky
• A blend of imported of imported scotch concentrate &
Indian neutral alcohol.
• Nose: Unique Aroma
• Colour: Dark Gold
• Taste: Smooth, medium bodied palate.

56. White House Premium Whisky
• A blend of imported scotch malts and finest Indian
grain spirits.
Nose - Light
Color - Rich golden hue
Taste - Smooth and matured

57. Castle Club Whisky
• Specially blended for whisky lovers, all the elements
are carefully selected and closely monitored during
the entire blending process, this whisky has an
authentic taste.
Nose – Pure whisky aroma
Colour - Bright golden hue
Taste - Very smooth with robust malty notes and
hints of oak.

58. Classic Whisky
• Whisky blended with the finest spirit for those who
savour the essence of life. Excellent taste with a
touch of class.
Nose - Very smooth with tones of matured malt
Colour - Golden yellow
Taste - Balanced note of peaty, smoky aromas

59. TI Bachelor Deluxe Whisky
• Made from matured barley and select Indian malt,
this blend comes with a rich, strong flavor.
Nose - Intense
Colour - Dark gold
Taste - Rich and refreshing with distinctively malt
flavour

60. TI Golden Chariot Whisky
• A fine blend with the essence of barley that produces
a light sensation and glides down smoothly offering
an unforgettable experience.
Nose – Light and sensuous notes of barley
Colour - Dark Gold
Taste - Rich and smooth. Distinctively malt.

61. Royal Choice Whisky
• A combination of matured barley and select Indian
malt that gives this blend a rich, strong flavour.
Nose - Strong and sensuous notes of malt
Colour - Dark Gold
Taste - Smooth on the palate, rich and malty

62. Hottt Silk Whisky
• A rare blend of select Indian malt that remains true to
the same exacting standards of careful crafting and
blending. Rich and distinctive in flavour it has an
alluring dark gold tint and strong aroma.
Nose - Strong and sensuous notes of malt
Colour – Full Golden Hue
Taste - Strong and malty.

63. Shot Whisky
• A flawless blend of rare Indian whisky from select
Indian grain. Full-bodied with a distinctive flavour,
it glides effortlessly on the palate, with a consistent
taste and refreshing aroma.
• Nose - Intense
• Colour - Dark Gold
• Taste - Rich and refreshing with a distinctive malty
flavour

64. Rum Brands In India
• BACARDI BLACK RUM
• BACARDI APPLE ORIGINAL APPLE RUM
• BACARDI DRAGON BARRY OR STRB RUM
• BACARDI GOLD RUM
• BACARDI LIMON ORIGINAL CITRUS RUM
• BACARDI O ORIGINAL ORANGE RUM
• BACARDI RAZZ ORIGINAL RASPBERRY RUM
• BACARDI SUPERIOR CARTA-BLANCA RUM
• BACARDI SUPERIOR RUM
• BLACK CAT MATURED RUM
• BLACK FORT XXX MATURED RUM
• CAPTAIN MORGAN SPICED GOLD RUM

65. Contd..
• CONTESSA MATURED XXX RUM
• CRAZY ROMEO DELUXE RUM
• HAVANA CLUB ANEJO BLANCO WHITE RUM
• JOLLY ROGER PREMIUM XXX RUM
• MCDOWELL NO.1 CELEBRATION XXX RUM
• OLD MONK GOLD RESERVE RUM
• OLD MONK MATURED XXX DELUXE RUM VOV
• OLD MONK SUPREME XXX RUM
• OLD SMUGGLER MATURED XXX RUM
• RAFFLES MATURED XXX RUM
• SIKKIM XXX PRIZE RUM

66. Thank You