E-Malt.com News article: India: United Breweries launches new Kingfisher Smooth beer

Bengaluru-based United Breweries Limited (UBL), part of the HEINEKEN Company, has launched Kingfisher Smooth, that expands the Kingfisher portfolio within India’s mainstream strong beer segment, The Hindu Business Line reported on January 7.

Kingfisher Smooth has been rolled out in Rajasthan, one of India’s largest strong beer markets. UBL CEO Vivek Gupta said the company plans to scale the launch nationwide over the next 12–18 months.

“Our role is to be the category maker, capitalising on the large opportunity to grow the beer category in India. Currently, if people consume alcohol around 10 times a year, beer accounts for only about two occasions, underscoring both low per capita beer consumption and its limited share of drinking occasions,” Gupta explained.

He said consumer feedback indicated demand for a strong yet more sessionable beer with lower bitterness, which prompted the company to look at category expansion. Among all the brands, Kingfisher, he noted, was best placed to drive that expansion. He expressed confidence about Kingfisher Smooth helping expand both the category and the brand.

“Mainstream consumers remain the backbone of the category, and we continue to perform strongly there. While premium is growing at over 20% this year, this launch is aimed at reviving the mainstream segment under the Kingfisher brand. That is why I believe it will be the biggest innovation in the category in the years ahead,” the CEO shared.

The company believes the launch will be accretive not only to the Kingfisher brand but also to the overall category by driving greater penetration among young consumers entering the segment.

UBL’s product portfolio also comprises brands such as Kingfisher Strong, Kingfisher Premium, Kingfisher Ultra, Kingfisher Ultra Max, Kingfisher Ultra Witbier, Heineken ️Original, Heineken️ Silver, Amstel Grande, and Heineken️ 0.0.


07 January, 2026