Winters have started in the country. In such a situation, people’s inclination leans towards rum more than whiskey. Due to which the consumption of rum is also higher in some months of winter as compared to other months of the year. It is not that rum is drunk only in winter. There are many people in the country who enjoy it even during summer and rainy months, but even those who do not drink rum throughout the year, do not hesitate to consume rum in winter. Today we are talking about one such rum, which has been being sold in the country for 170 years, whose dominance in the country continues even today. The name of this rum is Old Monk. Which is prepared in India from the beginning and is completely Indian. Let us also tell you when Old Monk was started and how much rum is consumed every year and how much revenue it generates.
When did Old Monk start?
In 1855, Edward Dyer established a brewery in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh to meet the British need for cheap beer. The ownership of this distillery changed hands and eventually became a distillery named Mohan Meakin Pvt. Ltd. Old Monk, reportedly created by Ved Ratan Mohan, former managing director of Mohan Meakin, was first introduced in India in the 1960s. Kapil Mohan’s brother, Colonel Ved Mohan, was inspired by the quiet life of the Benedictine monks and the beverages they created while living an ascetic life in the mountains, where they lived in peace. That’s why it was named Monk. Before Old Monk, there was Hercules Rum (which is still sold) which was produced specifically for the armed forces. With a taste and perhaps even better quality than Hercules, the brand soon became one of the world’s leading dark rums and perhaps the most popular IMFL brand in the country.
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Old Monk Rum is a vatted Indian dark rum, launched in 1855. It is a dark rum with a distinctive vanilla flavor, containing 42.8 percent alcohol. It is produced in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh and its registration is in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. It has no advertising, its popularity depends on word of mouth and customer loyalty. In 2013, Old Monk lost its position as the best-selling dark rum to McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Rum. Old Monk has been the largest Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brand for many years.
In Impact International’s 2008 list of “Top 100 Brands at Retail Price”, Old Monk was ranked 5th among Indian spirits brands, with a retail value of US$240 million. It is available in six sizes of bottles 90 ml, 180 ml, 375 ml, 500 ml, 750 ml and 1 liter. Old Monk has been awarded the Gold Medal at the Monde Selections since 1982.
Old Monk’s Profit and Revenue
If we talk about Old Monk’s profit and revenue, it is continuously increasing. The total revenue of parent company Mohan Meakin Limited in FY 2025 was Rs 2,166.5 crore. Whereas the net profit of the company was around Rs 102.6 crore. According to the information, there was an increase of more than 21 percent in the net profit of the company. Whereas an increase of 11.6 percent was seen in revenue. Whereas the profit before tax figure was seen at Rs 138.19 crore. If we talk about the profit margin of the company, it was seen at 4.79 percent. Which can be seen even more in the coming years.
Sales are increasing
In 2024, Old Monk sold 13 million cases, much better than competitors like McDowell’s Celebration, reports ET BrandEquity. Explaining the reason for this increase in the report, it was said that the credit for this resurgence is better manufacturing, better availability by regaining control from third party distributions and strong consumer demand. The special thing is that there has been a tremendous increase in its revenue. Between FY18 and FY24, the company’s sales tripled to Rs 2,166 crore and profit increased to Rs 103 crore.