PALAKKAD: Minnal Magic, the brandy produced at the newly established distillery of Malabar Distilleries at Menonpara in Palakkad, is set to reach outlets of Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) in the first week of April, officials said.
Bevco chairperson and managing director Harshita Attaluri told TNIE that the corporation secured the necessary licences and regulatory approvals to manufacture and market the new brand on Tuesday. Production has already begun at the fully-automated unit, though currently only one production line is operational.
Once all three lines at the plant become functional, officials expect the facility to produce up to 13,500 cases of liquor per day - significantly boosting the state’s own liquor production capacity.
The distillery was inaugurated on February 21 by Excise Minister M B Rajesh, marking a key step in the government’s plan to expand state-run liquor manufacturing.
At the same time, sources said a few practical hurdles delayed the immediate rollout. Some civil works at the facility are yet to be completed, while certain technical processes related to blending are still being finalised. Since highly flammable components such as alcohol are used in production, authorities also had to ensure adequate safety systems for storage and handling before scaling up operations.
Another challenge involved sourcing the spirit required to produce the brandy. The Extra Neutral Alcohol (ENA) currently used at the distillery has to be brought from other states, a process that involves several regulatory clearances.
As these licences are due for renewal at the end of the financial year, authorities decided to postpone the launch until April. At present, around 40,000 litres of ENA is stocked at the facility - enough to produce roughly 10,000 cases of liquor.
Minnal Magic brandy will initially be introduced in 500 ml PET bottles. The final retail price is yet to be decided