Gold Riband, a popular brand in Eastern India, sells about six lakh cases (each case is nine litres) and Blue Riband about five lakh cases in India.

On the packaging of liqor products, Bishwal said: ``We are switching over to glass bottles from PET bottles.'' PET bottles (plastic bottles) have failed to catch the fancy of consumers. Realising this, liquor manufacturers in the country have started using glass bottles again. In the last one year or so, use of PET bottles in the industry declined by about 15-20per cent, he said.

The UB group's spirit division has set a target of selling 24.5 million cases in the current fiscal. The division had sold 22.1 million cases in 1998-99 as against 18.4 million cases the previous year. Bishwal said the division has decided to lay more stress on quality and high value brands this year. To grow at a rate higher than the industry growth, the group has also decided to expand its distribution network. The current growth rate ofthe industry is about eight to nine per cent per annum.

Bishwal was here recently to celebrate the completion of the upgradation and modernisation of Utkal Distillery, a Khurda-based unit taken over by McDowell & Co, in 1994. The Utkal Distillery would now be able to produce high quality IMFL liquors such as No 1 McDowell Whiskey, No 1 McDowell Celebration Rum, Bagpiper Whiskey, Gold Riband Whiskey and Blue Riband Gin. McDowell & Co, the marketing arm of the spirit division, also plans to expand the capacity of the Utkal Distillery from 45,000 casesper month to meet future demand of the state.

McDowell sells about four lakh cases in Orissa and controls about 50 per cent of the total market of eight lakh cases per annum.