WRD minister Subhash Shirodkar and Diageo India MD & CEO Hina Nagarajan at the launch of the Bottling Unit of Diageo Craft & Innovation Hub in Ponda.
PANAJI
Diageo India, the country’s leading beverage alcohol company on Tuesday announced an investment of Rs 45 crore for its state-of-the-art Craft and Innovation Hub in Ponda. This is in line with the company’s strategy to accelerate transformational innovation and strengthen its Craft and premium portfolio. The Craft and Innovation Hub was inaugurated by Subhash Shirodkar, Minister, Water Resource Development, Co-Operation and Provedoria.
The Craft and Innovation Hub, spread across 4 acres, offers robust, end-to-end capabilities addressing various requirements such as distillation capabilities for malt, gin and rum; maturation infrastructure and blending capability for spirits; an automated bottling and packaging line for craft spirits and a modern warehouse for incoming and finished products. In addition, it will host a one-of-a-kind Consumer Experience Centre. When fully operational with a capacity of 20,000 cases a month, the Hub will employ 250 people locally. This investment demonstrates Diageo India’s dedication to long-term research with a focus on driving Grain-to-Glass sustainability, nurturing the craft spirits ecosystem in India as well as continued commitment to Goa.
Hina Nagarajan, MD & CEO, Diageo India said,“Goa is a hotbed for Craft, demand for which is growing rapidly both in India and globally, among consumers who are keen to further discover and enjoy fine spirits. Our Hub will serve as an incubator for select start-ups, providing them with sophisticated infrastructure to build their offerings.”
Subhash Shirodkar, Minister, Water Resource Development, Co-Operation and Provedoria, during his address said, “The Company’s efforts to promote skills development and employability in Goa by training 1,000 local youth is laudable. This technologically advanced Industrial setup demonstrates Goa’s potential as an export hub. The State Government is pleased to extend our support to Diageo India.”
