Aryan Khan's Slab Ventures to sell premium vodka in collaboration with AB InBev; details here

Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan, along with business partners, Bunty Singh and Leti Blagoeva, is entering India’s rich but tightly-regulated liquor market. The trio intends to first introduce a high-end vodka brand, D’Yavol (devil in Slavic languages), before expanding into the brown spirits segment. Slab Ventures, a Netherlands-based luxury lifestyle company founded by Khan and his associates, has teamed up with the local arm of Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev), the largest brewer in the world, to sell and promote the product in India and other international markets. However, as per InBev, the question of whether the partnership would be based on profits or royalties is still up for negotiation. Following the announcement, Khan explained to the Economic Times that India has a lot of potential since it is one of the youngest nations in the world. “I believe I understand the mindset of the young because I am a part of the younger generation. The opportunity for expansion in this tremendously ambitious and hungry industry is quite great,” he added. According to the company, D’yavol, a unique vodka made from wheat, is produced in Poland and refined with Tahitian black pearls. It will be initially offered in Maharashtra for Rs 5,000, Goa for Rs 4,000, and Karnataka for Rs 6,500. Delhi as well as the other major cities in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, West Bengal, and Telangana will be able to purchase the brand soon. It is anticipated to face strong competition from Belvedere by LVMH and Grey Goose by Bacardi. Vodka consumption is still mostly driven by younger, female customers in India, and the market requires innovation and new flavours to boost growth. Imports depend on rising interest in cocktails and expanding distribution Since 2021, the market for imported vodka rose at a compound annual growth rate of 7.2 percent, while the market for ultra-premium vodka increased 17.8 percent. As revealed by Khan, after reuniting in Germany in 2018, he, Singh, and Blagoeva—all close family friends who have now become business associates discussed the gap in the market for premium and upscale goods and services in India. Thus, this business idea came into existence. “The idea was to sort of bring together an excellent quality, a modern disruptive vision, and trendy aesthetics under one roof in order to attract both older and younger generations,” he added. Slab Ventures will also introduce more items across various luxury consumer segments, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, clothing, and accessories, as well as hold experiential events targeted at the nation’s wealthy consumers. Slab and AB InBev India, known for distributing the beer brands Budweiser and Corona, will also collaborate to offer more alcoholic beverages such as whisky. Additionally, Slab will launch its vodka brand in North America, Europe, and Asia in the next year. Read all the Latest News , Trending News ,  Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.