Five top trends shaping India’s beverage alcohol industry in 2026
India’s alcoholic beverage industry is undergoing a paradigm shift: and is set to grow rapidly over the coming years. What are the key trends to watch?
With a growing population, rising disposable incomes, changing consumer tastes and a growing young urban demographic, the Indian market is increasingly attractive for FMCG.
And that’s true for the beverage alcohol category: India’s total beverage alcohol volume rose 7% in the first half of 2025, making it one of the fastest growing alcohol markets worldwide.
Global beer consumption rises on growth in India, Russia and Thailand – Kirin
Beer consumption increased a marginal 0.5% globally, narrowly avoiding decline thanks to sharp gains in key emerging markets, according to Kirin
This was based on the recently-published Global Beer Consumption Report, which comprises data collected by beer giant Kirin Holdings across 170 global markets.
“Global beer consumption reached approximately 194.1bn litres, which was a growth of 0.5% year-on-year,” Kirin told us.
“This was primarily driven by sharp increases in India (+14.6%), Russia (+9.0%) and Thailand (5.8%).”
Growth Asia Summit 2026: Haleon, Siens by Dabur, Yili to discuss healthy longevity
Healthy ageing and healthspan are trending topics worldwide, and this year’s Growth Asia Summit will bring together top brands from across the region to present their insights and strategies.
India’s FMCG giant Dabur is pouring efforts in the booming nutraceutical sector. Kanan Pardeshi, product manager - Innovations at Siens by Dabur - the nutraceutical arm formed by Dabur India last year, will be presenting the topic “From Shelf to Cell: How FMCG Can Lead India’s Healthspan Revolution.”
Is Asia the next GLP‑1 boom market and what it means for F&B?
After a slow start, Asia’s GLP‑1 weight‑loss market is poised for explosive growth as China and India tackle obesity and food and drink brands race to become essential GLP‑1 companions.
In Asia, the appetite for GLP-1 agonists for weight management has been less voracious. Cost and accessibility have been cited as the main barriers to their use, although there have been other issues moderating their uptake.
“In many APAC markets where healthcare spending is largely out of pocket, adoption tends to be slower,” explains FMCG consultant Veena Giridhar-Gopal, adding that the ‘demand profile’ has traditionally differed from that of western markets.
Iran conflict: Is ceasefire too little, too late for global food?
A two-week ceasefire is now in place in the war between US-Israel and Iran, but much is still uncertain about how long-lasting the impacts of damage done thus far will be and what still lies ahead for the global food sector
Iran has temporarily reopened the Strait of Hormuz, the vital waterway through which around a quarter of the world’s oil and some 30% of global fertiliser passed daily before the war, but ships will be passing only under Iranian military coordination.
This agreement allows some breathing room for all parties involved after many weeks of tension, with a silver lining that oil, fertiliser and other commodities will now be able to move through the strait. But there are still many, many unanswered questions that must be addressed before everyone — and the food industry in particular — can breathe easy.
