Mumbai played host to BUDX NBA House on June 7-8, 2025, at the DOME, SVP Stadium in Worli. The inaugural collaboration between Budweiser and the National Basketball Association (NBA) was an innovative celebration of basketball, music, hype, and culture.
Ahead of the main event, a press conference was held at The St. Regis, Mumbai, featuring key figures such as the NBA legend Gary Payton, NBA Asia head of strategy and NBA India country head Rajah Chaudhry, and Vineet Sharma, vice president, marketing and trade marketing, AB InBev India.
AB InBev stands for Anheuser-Busch InBev, an American multinational beverage and brewing brand that is the parent company of Budweiser, Corona, Hoegaarden, etc.
According to Niir Project Consultancy Services (NPCS), the Indian beer market size was valued at Rs 352.66 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach Rs 707.51 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.64% during 2023-2030.
AB InBev India Private Limited holds a market share of 21.6% in the Indian beer market, second only to United Breweries Limited (UBL, owned by Heineken) with a 52.3% share, followed by Carlsberg India Private Limited with a 17.1% share.
Sharma of AB InBev India spoke to afaqs! about Budweiser’s partnership with the NBA, his company’s evolving marketing approach, and the shifting dynamics of beer consumption in India.
Reflecting on the deeper strategic alignment with the NBA, Sharma expressed immense satisfaction with the collaboration, announcing, "We are very happy to collaborate with the NBA, a very like-minded partner.”
He emphasised the synergy between Budweiser and the NBA, highlighting a shared ethos of engagement and entertainment that made their collaboration a natural fit. "Budweiser stands for a lot about seizing the opportunity and core values of freedom, ambition, and authenticity," he explained.
Upon engaging with the NBA, the brand discovered significant common ground, particularly a cultural connection: "Not to forget, both are Americana brands; both stand for the US, the freedom, and the ambition part of it."
Traditionally known just as 'NBA House', this marks the brand’s first collaboration in India, where the event has been specifically branded as 'BudX NBA House', making it a pioneering venture for both Budweiser and the NBA.
While BUDX has collaborated with Lollapalooza, Boiling Room, Mixmag, Supersonic, and Echoes of Earth in the music world, Sharma emphasised that BUDX NBA House is just the beginning for the brand in the sports world.
He also hinted that fans can expect the BUDX IP “in other formats, as festival formats, as sponsorship formats” across diverse cultural and sporting touchpoints in India.
While the aforementioned collaborations with cultural and sporting events are aimed at targeting younger consumers starting at the legal drinking age, Sharma acknowledges the emerging trend of reduced alcohol consumption among younger generations.
"In India, we've seen the trend relatively less as compared to the Western countries. The moderation trend exists in a very, very small part of India,” he noted.
"India's per capita beer consumption is anyway just two litres for the full year, there are a lot of people who do not drink beer.”
However, this behavioural pattern is now seen giving way to a premiumisation trend, wherein consumers are looking to spend their newly increased income on better quality products, which includes better beer.
He attributed this to several interconnected factors, including improved economic conditions, better infrastructure leading to urbanisation, increased disposable incomes, and the rise of nuclear families.
He also highlighted that young Indians are now instantly aware of global brands and have easier access to products across categories, unlike past generations who had to wait months or years for globalisation to arrive in India.
Sharma added that this aspiration isn't confined to metros; it's "happening in tier two towns as well", reflecting on an inclusive increase in aspirational product consumption.
He also pointed to the declining taboo around beer, observing a cultural shift where "let's catch up over coffee” has evolved into “let's catch up over beer”.
Expressing strong optimism for the future of beer in India, Sharma described beer as "a great product, a product of moderation, lower ABV (alcohol by volume), which you can enjoy for a much longer time and brings a lot of people together".
Budweiser aims to ensure existing consumers drink more and that "young people who haven't tried alcohol, the first product or the first beer that they try should be a Budweiser".
However, not wanting to ignore those who have completely sworn off alcohol, the brand champions Budweiser Zero, offering the classic taste associated with the brand without the alcohol content.
“We have launched a green apple variant of Budweiser Zero, which outsells the original one, reflecting Indian consumers' preference for sweeter palates.”
Sharma also noted a more welcoming shift in the alcohol retail outlets. Both on-trade and off-trade outlets are moving away from being exclusive male domains to spaces where "women are invited", and are "equally proud to hold a bottle of beer, a Budweiser", a stark contrast from 5-10 years ago.
Sharma also observed a rise in in-home drinking post-COVID, alongside the growth of out-of-home experiences such as concerts and games, fuelling an "experiential economy".
A major increase in "on-the-go consumption" with cans is now making up nearly 50% of Budweiser’s portfolio.
Beer is also becoming an integral part of birthdays and anniversaries, shedding its past taboo. Social norms are evolving, and sharing "a first drink with one's dad" is becoming increasingly common.
Budweiser, as a "progressive brand", is actively creating many such occasions. "Bringing basketball and beer together was not a thing in India, but today this is one occasion we have created with BUDX NBA," he added.
Coming to sales, Sharma explained that India is primarily an off-trade market, with 80% of sales generated from retail outlets, while on-trade consumption (in-bar) accounts for merely 20%. Furthermore, only 100,000 alcohol outlets cater to a population of 1.4 billion, restricting access, unlike other western countries.
For Budweiser, major beer-drinking markets such as Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Telangana are crucial for investments. Additionally, in the eastern region, the brand is aiming to "premiumise" basic beer drinkers towards brands like Budweiser.
In terms of media strategy, Budweiser maintains a strong digital presence, allocating 60-70% of its investments to target consumers based on habits and spending patterns through platforms like Meta, Google, and Spotify.
While Budweiser does not ignore traditional advertising channels such as TV, airports, and out-of-home advertising, it prefers digital due to its precise targeting and efficiency.
The target demographic for beer consumption in India is typically 21 to 40 years old, an audience the brand aims to engage early for long-term loyalty.
Sharma also acknowledged the unique challenges alcohol brands face in India. "We don't have the luxury as a lot of other non-alcohol categories have, where they can put an ad and you can click and buy the product."
Instead, its digital strategy builds positive brand disposition on weekends or after-hours, influencing purchasing decisions when consumers visit stores or bars, all while operating "within the rules of the law of the land".
/afaqs/media/agency_attachments/2024-10-10t065829449z-afaqs_640x480.png)
/afaqs/media/member_avatars/2025/04/17/2025-04-17t130410170z-img_20250316_164032.jpg )
Follow Us/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/06/09/djCw0mjZXRnrY3admb04.jpg)
/afaqs/media/media_files/2025/06/04/EpynvltnJCH3tkcVgk1z.jpg)