BEVCO unveils new liquor brand ‘Malabar Mystery’ amid controversy over naming

Thiruvananthapuram: Amid the controversies, the Kerala government has finalised 'Malabar Mystery' as the name of its new liquor brand, with the formal announcement expected at the plant inauguration at Menonpara on Saturday.

Excise Minister MB Rajesh will inaugurate the facility at 10.30 am, with Minister K. Krishnankutty presiding.

Officials said the excise and brand registrations for the product have already been completed. Initial production will be in 500-ml bottles, with an indicative price of around ₹400. The brand label, bearing the abbreviation ‘MM’, has also been readied.

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Once fully operational, the plant is expected to produce 13,500 cases per day, for which sufficient spirit has already been stocked.

The unit will require about one lakh litres of water daily, which will be transported by tanker lorries from the Malampuzha water treatment plant under an agreement with the Kerala Water Authority. Malabar Distilleries has paid an advance of ₹1.87 crore to the authority.

Technical staff from Travancore Sugars in Thiruvalla and the Beverages Corporation will be redeployed to the facility, while unskilled workers will be engaged with the support of Kudumbashree.

The plant has been set up by renovating the old sugar factory building at Menonpara, with construction handled by the Kerala Police Housing and Construction Corporation. The liquor produced will be marketed through BEVCO outlets.

Naming row

The naming of the product had earlier sparked controversy after allegations that an online name-inviting contest with prize announcements was conducted.

The matter reached court, but BEVCO maintained that it had not issued any such announcement and that naming the brand was the responsibility of Malabar Distilleries.

Around 40,000 suggestions were reportedly received through social media. While ‘Malabar Mystery’ emerged as a favoured option, BEVCO later distanced itself from the process following the legal dispute.