Pernod Ricard targets 10% India growth from Xclamat!on this decade

India’s Gen Z population – estimated at around 382 million in 2025 – is rapidly reshaping the country’s drinking culture with its preference for premium, experience-led choices. Tapping into this shift, Pernod Ricard India, the company well-known for brands such as Royal Stag, Blenders Pride, Chivas Regal, and Absolut Vodka, has launched Xclamat!on, a new premium admix spirits brand designed for young legal-age drinkers, particularly those in the 26–34 bracket that straddles older Gen Z and the earliest cohort of Gen Alpha adults.

The launch is rooted in consumer insights around evolving drinking habits, premiumisation and demand for better experiences among India’s younger cohort. 

Xclamat!on brings five premium spirits – whisky, vodka, gin, rum and brandy – under one brand, at a uniform price point, i.e., Rs 800 for 750 ml, though prices may vary depending on the spirit and the state excise duty. 

According to Jean Touboul, CEO, Pernod Ricard India, the new brand has been developed to appeal to consumers seeking bold, playful and modern offerings.

“They want something contemporary – whether it’s the bottle’s diamond-cut design, the premium aluminium cap usually seen on higher-end products, or the glow-in-the-dark label,” he says, adding that the focus has been equally on delivering a high-quality liquid at an accessible premium price point.

India is the world’s third-largest alcohol market by volume, after China and the US, and its value is projected to almost double to around $100 billion in the next six to seven years. 

For Pernod Ricard, India is already its second-largest market by value after the US. The company reported revenues of Rs 27,446 crore for the year ending March 2025, up from Rs 26,773 crore in the previous fiscal year.

The company's strategy aligns with a broader behavioural shift, where younger consumers prefer drinking less but drinking better.

Touboul reveals that the company's research shows that, while whisky remains a dominant category in the Indian market, consumers are today expanding their repertoire across spirits and choosing different categories depending on the occasion – opting for whisky during relaxed gatherings and turning to vodka or other high-energy spirits for social events.

The company is positioning the new brand as part of the “premium admix” segment, anticipating that its multi-category presence will allow new drinkers to explore what suits them best. 

“We don’t expect them to stick to only whisky or gin. Their choice depends on the company they’re with and the energy of the moment,” the CEO notes.

Xclamat!on, to be sold under the label Seagram's, is expected to contribute 10% to the growth of Pernod Ricard India in the next decade, backed by the company’s legacy of premiumisation, scale and quality.

Beyond metros, Touboul sees strong potential for the brand in India’s rapidly growing Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets. As he mentions, “These boom towns are becoming increasingly urbanised, with rising disposable incomes and a strong appetite for premium products.”

Premiumisation, the CEO adds, is a global trend and central to Pernod Ricard’s long-term strategy. “If consumers can afford it, they aspire to better brands. That is true across markets, including India,” he says.

Xclamat!on will be launched in 14 markets in a phased manner in the first year, beginning with Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Rajasthan and Daman. 

Aligned with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision, Pernod Ricard’s new five-spirit range has been entirely designed and crafted in India for a growing base of aspirational, quality-seeking consumers. 

Each variant blends something distinctly Indian with an element sourced from a country known for excellence in that category. 

The rum combines Jamaican rum with Indian jaggery rum; the whisky blends Indian whisky with Scotch; the gin uses German juniper berries alongside Indian botanicals; the brandy draws from both Indian and French grapes; and the vodka is made with Basmati rice but distilled using Russian moonstone technology.

On taking the new brand global, the company confirms that exports are part of its roadmap, but only after establishing success in India. Pernod Ricard already exports several India-made brands—including Royal Stag, Blenders Pride, and its Indian single malt, Longitude 77—to more than 65 countries. “Let’s make this a success at home first. When the time comes, we will export it as well,” says Touboul.