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| Champagne and Wine – in Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| By vino india |
| A modern retail liquor store, as in the picture below, that sells Champagnes Dom Perignon and Laurent-Perrier Rosé to wine lovers in the city Ahmedabad – capital of the state of Gujarat (and with a VAT invoice). |
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‘B&W’- The store |
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| This is not fiction - The Government of the prohibition state of Gujarat has taken some baby steps to make alcoholic beverages available to a special category of consumers in the state. These could have far reaching implications towards relaxing the prohibition orders that symbolises the anti-alcohol policy of the Indian state. |
| Gujarat has been "in prohibition" since 1948, as it was a part of the Bombay State post-independence. In May 1960, as Gujarat was separated from Maharashtra, the Bombay Prohibition Act 1949 applied to both states. The birthplace of Gandhi ji, Gujarat decided to keep alcohol and all alcoholic beverages off-limits. |
| But, prohibition has translated into losses for the state – tourism and foreign investment was hit, as other states became beneficiaries. |
| A concession |
| In 2015, Gujarat was preparing to host two major international events – Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit and Prawasi Bhartiya Divas which brought a host of foreign delegations. Some of the partner countries prevailed upon the administration to relax the restrictions, so that delegates could participate in "full earnest". |
| Special permits were granted to foreign (including non Gujarat resident Indians) tourists. To obtain this permit, the residents of the state have to fulfil the formalities - such as prove an income of at least ₹ 25,000 per month, obtain a medical certificate from a designated civil surgeon, and permission from the Police Commissioner for individuals under the age of 40 years (details on the Home Ministry’s website). |
| In short, on paper, an individual’s love for the drink should be so strong that (s)he is undeterred and ready to brave red tape. |
| A futuristic concept |
| B&W (Beverage & Wine) was conceptualised by Gaurav Singh – till recently the General Manager of the Courtyard by Marriott, Ahmedabad. The idea germinated from the feedback received from guests who were aware of their new entitlement but had no idea of how to actually get that elusive bottle. The city of Ahmedabad had only 6-7 authorized vendors – the shady roadside ones that looked more like prisons, and only limited brands were sold at prices that were whimsical. Not surprisingly, a foreign tourist was hesitant and apprehensive as the special permit mandated that the holder had to be physically present to buy (bio-metrics were introduced to curb any misuse). |
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Gaurav Singh |
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| In what might be a first for a hotel operation, the hotel requested the state government for permission to set up a store in the hotel where the tourist permit could be issued and the buying experience was only matched by the joy of enjoying one's favourite drink in a dry state. As this unique permission was granted in December 2014, Gaurav and his team set themselves to the task of acquiring a range of alcoholic beverages that would put them at par with any retail presence anywhere else in the country and maybe rival an international duty free presence in a major metro. Nearly 300 labels were sourced across all categories of wines and spirits. Each label and each brand had to be registered by the vendor with the state authorities – but a huge concession was granted that no registration fee was payable. |
| The concept of this unique store included an open and airy display unlike the others in the city which were behind-the-counter. Not only did this design lure the inquisitive guests, it allowed the customers to browse and explore through the wide range of labels available, and the staff to share more information and educate them. This interaction helped the store negate their inability to advertise. |
| The "dynamic" pricing of the other licensed retailers based on whimsical considerations was challenged by B&W with a fixed price policy – tablets were docked on the shelves to share more details about the product and the price (inclusive of the heavy 62% taxes). |
| The store noticed a rise in the women who are buying at the store, something that testifies to the welcoming and safe environment in the store. |
| Gaurav commends the state regulation to regulate the inflow of alcohol to the state with a barcode system, even if it slows down the supplies, but it tightened the screws on bootlegging. These barcodes are linked with the biometric systems installed at each vend – at B&W consumers willingly complied. |
| In the nine odd months that the store has been open, B&W has cemented a position in this place in the market and changed the way Ahmedabad bought their spoils. Gaurav believes that "In line with a Marriott experience, B&W is making wines and spirits more accessible to their guests whilst complying with the restrictive laws in the state of Gujarat". |
| Now that the State of Gujarat and the Courtyard by Marriott has taken a very big step towards making your favourite alcohol brands more easily available, maybe you should thank them by making a trip to the state! |
| vino india is grateful to Gaurav Singh for sharing this fascinating story with us – our only regret is that we didn’t get to actually see this unique store. Please share any feedback with vino india info@vinoindia.in |
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