The familiar yellow and blue branding of Carib beer is now lining shop shelves in India. The announcement was made by Ansa McAl Group CEO Anthony Sabga III during his address to shareholders and stakeholders at the Saaman Estate in Port of Spain on May 15.

He said the beer had only hit shelves this week, but there is already good feedback. Sabga was responding to questions regarding the company’s landmark $200 million smart manufacturing facility, Line 7, which was commissioned by the Caribbean Development Company (CDC) on May 3, 2024.

At that ribbon-cutting ceremony, he addressed the company’s interest in expanding into the Indian market. Describing the project as Ansa McAl ’s largest investment in decades, Sabga called Line 7 a “generational upgrade and recommitment” to innovation and sustainability.

He noted the state-of-the-art facility is central to the group’s modernisation strategy, offering increased production speed, enhanced efficiency, and improved sustainability through advanced digital systems, energy optimisation, and water-saving technologies.

Confirming Carib is now being produced in India through a contract manufacturing arrangement, Sabga said: “The brewing and manufacturing team just returned from Uttar Pradesh, and the first batch of commercially available Carib Beer has already been released.”

The company has partnered with the Global Beverage Organisation in a joint venture, with marketing and distribution efforts now underway.

“We just began seeding the market this week. Ahead of the launch, we conducted multiple test brews and quality checks. The first commercial release happened just a few days ago, and our quality team reports it’s a fantastic brew. We’re confident it will perform exceptionally well in India.”

His remarks were met with applause from investors.

Asked about the company’s plans for the Canadian market, Sabga said local production and distribution partnerships will be key to entering that space.

“Production will be based locally, and through our distribution partners, we will be actively pursuing market access in Canada.”

He also disclosed in the US, Carib is set to be distributed across New York State as part of a broader North American growth strategy.

Reflecting on the first year of operations for Line 7, Sabga emphasised its transformational impact.

“Line 7 has been operational for just over a year and represents a generational investment, a generational upgrade, and a generational shift for us, not just in terms of technology, but also in our long-term vision for the company.”

He praised the facility’s ability to significantly boost production speed and efficiency while advancing the company’s sustainability goals.

“We are incredibly proud and grateful to have this world-class facility operating at our brewery,” he added.

Beyond Line 7, the company is also investing in equipment upgrades across its other breweries to further improve reliability, product quality, and environmental performance.

The post Carib beer now available in India app