http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Spirits_Limited
United Spirits Limited, abbreviated to USL, is an Indian alcoholic beverages company, and the world's second-largest spirits company in terms of volume. It is a subsidiary of the United Breweries Group, and headquartered at UB Tower in Bangalore, Karnataka. USL exports its products to over 37 countries.
United Spirits Ltd traces its origins to McDowell and Company (also known as McDowell & Co, McDowell or McDowell's), established as a trading firm in 1826, by a Scottish freebooter named Angus McDowell. He set up a warehouse near Fort St. George, Madras (now Chennai), which was a major trading centre of the British Empire. McDowell became the preferred purveyor of imported liquors and cigars for Indian Maharajas and British commandants. McDowell's business revolved around importing consumer items including wines, spirits, cigars and tea to cater to the English population in India. McDowell & Company Limited was incorporated as a company in 1898, with an initial capital of
800,000 as 4,000 Preference shares and 4,000 Ordinary shares of 100 each. The company's principal shareholders were A.M. Hooper, G.D. Coleman and G.A. Ruppell.
The Vittal Mallya-run United Breweries Group acquired McDowell and Company in 1951. In 1959, Mallya established the company's first distillery at Cherthala, Kerala on the banks of the Vembanad lake. McDowell's began bottling Bisquit Brandy and Dorville French Brandy, from imported concentrates, becoming the first company to manufacture Indian substitutes of foreign liquor, giving rise to the term Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The company commissioned India's first ever distillation plant to produce extra neutral alcohol (ENA), with French collaboration, at Cherthala in 1961. The plant began bottling Beehive French Brandy for Herbertsons Limited of the Anglo Thai Group, the same year. The distillery Cherthala launched Golden Grape Brandy, its first product, created in-house, in 1962. The distillery also began processing grapes from Kodaikanal's vineyards, to manufacture brandies, while also bottling imported Cinzano Vermouth Red, Dry and Bianco. McDowell's launched its own McDowell's No.1 Brandy in 1963-64, following the termination of the import contract for No.1 Bisquit Brandy. The brand created the template for the many "No. 1" brands that the company would launch later. Mallya acquired Carew & Co with distilleries in Rosa (Uttar Pradesh), Asansol (West Bengal) and Darsana (then East Bengal, now Bangladesh) in 1963-64. The Rosa plant was known for manufacturing India's only 10-year-old rum, Carew's Rum. Carew's other popular brands included Blue Riband Gin, Booth's Gin, Carew's Dry Gin, Carew's Imperial Whisky, Carew's Fine Brandy and Doctor's Brandy. Mallya also acquired Phipson & Co., Calcutta during the same period, giving McDowell a national presence in the spirits business
United Spirits Limited, abbreviated to USL, is an Indian alcoholic beverages company, and the world's second-largest spirits company in terms of volume. It is a subsidiary of the United Breweries Group, and headquartered at UB Tower in Bangalore, Karnataka. USL exports its products to over 37 countries.
United Spirits Ltd traces its origins to McDowell and Company (also known as McDowell & Co, McDowell or McDowell's), established as a trading firm in 1826, by a Scottish freebooter named Angus McDowell. He set up a warehouse near Fort St. George, Madras (now Chennai), which was a major trading centre of the British Empire. McDowell became the preferred purveyor of imported liquors and cigars for Indian Maharajas and British commandants. McDowell's business revolved around importing consumer items including wines, spirits, cigars and tea to cater to the English population in India. McDowell & Company Limited was incorporated as a company in 1898, with an initial capital of
800,000 as 4,000 Preference shares and 4,000 Ordinary shares of 100 each. The company's principal shareholders were A.M. Hooper, G.D. Coleman and G.A. Ruppell.The Vittal Mallya-run United Breweries Group acquired McDowell and Company in 1951. In 1959, Mallya established the company's first distillery at Cherthala, Kerala on the banks of the Vembanad lake. McDowell's began bottling Bisquit Brandy and Dorville French Brandy, from imported concentrates, becoming the first company to manufacture Indian substitutes of foreign liquor, giving rise to the term Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL). The company commissioned India's first ever distillation plant to produce extra neutral alcohol (ENA), with French collaboration, at Cherthala in 1961. The plant began bottling Beehive French Brandy for Herbertsons Limited of the Anglo Thai Group, the same year. The distillery Cherthala launched Golden Grape Brandy, its first product, created in-house, in 1962. The distillery also began processing grapes from Kodaikanal's vineyards, to manufacture brandies, while also bottling imported Cinzano Vermouth Red, Dry and Bianco. McDowell's launched its own McDowell's No.1 Brandy in 1963-64, following the termination of the import contract for No.1 Bisquit Brandy. The brand created the template for the many "No. 1" brands that the company would launch later. Mallya acquired Carew & Co with distilleries in Rosa (Uttar Pradesh), Asansol (West Bengal) and Darsana (then East Bengal, now Bangladesh) in 1963-64. The Rosa plant was known for manufacturing India's only 10-year-old rum, Carew's Rum. Carew's other popular brands included Blue Riband Gin, Booth's Gin, Carew's Dry Gin, Carew's Imperial Whisky, Carew's Fine Brandy and Doctor's Brandy. Mallya also acquired Phipson & Co., Calcutta during the same period, giving McDowell a national presence in the spirits business