Mallya also plans feni export

| 20 August 2002 17:37 IST

Vijay Mallya, India's one of the leading liquor baron-turned politician, is planning to hit the international market with Goa's world-famous Feni.

"Being a frequent visitor to Goa, I am familiar with Feni. I know it has a potential to hit the international market", states Mallya in a news report appeared here in a local newspaper.

Mallya however is not the first liquor seller who is experimenting on exports. Madame Rosa, a local distiller, has already been doing it for the last three years. "The response is very much encouraging", says Mac Vaz of Madame Rosa from Saligao.

The ongoing efforts of Mallya's UB group in this regard have also been confirmed by G Tiwari, the local chief executive officer of the United Breweries, one of the oldest beer manufacturing firm in the state.

The UB is presently conducting a research on how to refine the fabulous drink of the country liquor, made of both cashew apple and coconut toddy, but smells quite strong. Mallya plans to make it smooth and acceptable to western taste, while preserving its core identity.

Following cashew nuts, Goa's Feni is a famous product that sells like hot cakes among the millions of Indian and foreign tourists, who visit the tiny coastal state. Besides distilling it for local consumption, Feni is also being bottled in a pure as well as blended form.

However, Real Distilleries is one firm that exports Feni outside Goa, but only in Daman and Diu, the former Portuguese colonies that were part of Goa till 1987 as the union territory, even after liberation in 1961.

Madam Rosa, which is bottling Goa's famous Feni for the last 15 years, however exports it to a few Gulf countries, England, Australia and Canada. According to Vaz, the local drink is appreciated even by the first-timers, besides those who have already tasted it in Goa earlier.

Goa has 17 bottling units of Feni, most of which cater to the needs of local consumption and sale, except firms like Madame Rosa or Real Distilleries who export it. With Mallya's UB group coming in, the Goan Feni could now get a further boost in the international market.

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