Simba Beer is betting big on creating indoor & outdoor experiences: Ishwaraj Singh Bhatia

With the year drawing to a close, Adgully has been doing a recap of all the major developments across M&E, Advertising, Digital, Marketing, Print, Television, PR & Communications along with leading names in the industry as part of the annual REWIND 2021 series.

As opposed to the severe disruptions brought about by the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the year 2021 has been more about resilience and rebuilding.

In conversation with Adgully, Ishwaraj Singh Bhatia, Co-founder and COO, Simba Craft Beer, speaks about the challenges faced by the alcobev industry during the pandemic times and how the company is gearing up for a strong revival in 2022. He sees at home consumption, coupled with on premise and outdoor events, largely driving sales in the year ahead, if the virus spread is curtailed.

Major developments and trends in the Alcoholic Beverage industry in 2021

Owing to the pandemic, we have witnessed two of the most challenging years for business. The alcohol industry at large has been one of the worst hit by COVID-19. However, the festive season gave business the much-needed respite and helped us recover. Recovering from the pandemic, Simba Craft Beer reported 20% growth in Q3 of last year as compared to the same quarter last year. Over the years, Simba has been able to instill immense trust among its consumers who enjoy Simba Craft Beer for its high quality beer drinking experience. 2021 has been relatively better, helping sustain the recovery momentum the festive season gave business the much-needed respite and boost. However, the industry is still staying cautious as things remain unpredictable, we remain optimistic and expect in-home consumption coupled with on-ground events to be key drivers for growth.

Key challenges & new learnings

The first half of this year had definitely affected the slow recovery which started in Q3 of last year. The second wave dampened consumers’ spirits and the fear and anxiety were visible from the dip in consumption. Additionally, with restrictions on movement and serving on premise liquor the industry at large has experienced a hit. However, people took to recreating leisure moments at home by celebrating smaller occasions with family and friends even if it was virtually, while staying safe. This gives us an opportunity to be a part of these occasions, offering an opportunity to recover.

One of our biggest learnings comes from the fact that there was no wasted stock as we do not mass produce our beer and stay conscious of our production. While this is something we were practicing even before the pandemic, the last two years reaffirmed our approach and strategy towards production and maintaining a healthy supply chain.

Outlook for 2022

Moving into the new year, we will continue to stay cautious as the situation remains unpredictable. At home consumption, coupled with on premise and outdoor events will largely drive sales and accelerate recovery if all goes well. We will continue to bet big on creating indoor and outdoor experiences through brand collaborations and partnerships to offer something new to our consumers. Additionally, we will expand the availability of recently launched Simba cans in different parts of the country to offer a portable and handy drinking option to our consumers.

Furthermore, we will continue to focus on the geographies that have been doing well for Simba, mostly the Southern markets. In 2022, we plan to cut down on logistical challenges and expenses that rise on account of supplying from Chhattisgarh and instead focus on contract manufacturing in the states where we are present.