Som Distilleries & Breweries Limited (SDBL), the maker of beer such as 'Hunter' and 'Power Cool', said it saw its highest ever one-month sales in Karnataka last month -- a period when Bangalore experienced unusually hot weather.
The company, which entered the Karnataka market in the early 2010s, did not give exact numbers, but said "achieving the highest-ever sales in a month since entering Karnataka is a remarkable feat".
The unusually hot weather in March in Karnataka likely contributed to a surge in beer sales, particularly in Bengaluru, India's beer capital.
South India has seen a rise in temperatures this summer, primarily because of a lack of intermittent showers that used to proved occasional breaks from the rising mercury.
This time, Bengaluru recorded a maximum temperature of 36.4°C on March 29, the highest temperature in the month of March in the last five years, the fourth highest in the last 15 years and the third highest in the last 10 years.
Meanwhile, the heat seems to be good for beer sales, going by commentary by companies such as Som Distilleries, which entered Karnataka around a decade ago.
After entry, the company leveraged its partnerships with local distributors and retailers to ensure wide availability of its products across the state. This approach allowed Som Distilleries to penetrate both urban and rural markets effectively.
In addition to its beer portfolio, Som Distilleries also has its popular whisky brand, Milestone 100, available in Karnataka.
In the state, it competes with established players such as United Breweries Limited (UBL) with its iconic Kingfisher brand. However, Hunter is expected to have notched up a market share of around 20% in the state.