Chennai : The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (Tasmac) is rolling out at least four new beer brands across its retail outlets in an effort to lift sales, which took a hit at the start of April.
Beer sales fell by 12% in the first week of April compared to the same period last year. From April 1 to 7, Tasmac sold 7.97 lakh cases of beer (each case has 12 bottles), down from 10.88 lakh cases during the same week in 2024. Meanwhile, sales of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) saw a small increase of 2.24%.
To attract more customers, Tasmac has already launched a new beer called Block Buster, made by a brewery in Andhra Pradesh. More options are coming soon, including Black Fort and Woodpecker, a wheat beer — both made by SOM Distilleries in Madhya Pradesh.
“We’ve started selling Block Buster beer in all outlets across the state,” a Tasmac official said. “Summer usually brings a spike in beer sales, so we’ve asked all district managers to keep enough stock ready. We expect the new brands to be available from next week.”
The official also noted that unexpected rain in some districts may have contributed to the drop in sales, but they are hopeful for better numbers ahead. “Seasonal ups and downs are normal,” he added.
However, some customers say that despite the new additions, variety is still limited. M Suresh Babu, a resident of Saidapet, said, “Even though Tasmac lists many brands, most shops stock only a few. That’s why many people prefer private bars, which have more choices.”
