HYDERABAD: The fizz has gone flat for breezer lovers across Telangana. From neighbourhood wine shops to premium liquor outlets, shelves that once stacked colourful ready-to-drink (RTD) bottles now stand bare.Thanks to a deepening supply crisis triggered by unresolved payment disputes between manufacturers and the excise department, the problem has snowballed into a statewide shortage, leaving shelves empty and retailers scrambling for clarity on fresh supplies.
It is the second time a major company has halted supplies over pending dues, disrupting a segment that had steadily carved out a niche among young consumers and women seeking lighter, fruit-flavoured alternatives to beer and hard liquor.Only 1,370 cases in JanData accessed by TOI reveals the scale of the slump. Barely 7% of the usual stock is currently reaching the market. In Jan, just 1,370 cases were supplied—a dramatic fall from 26,432 cases in the previous month. The slide is sharper when compared to Dec 2025, when supply had touched an impressive 1.75 lakh cases before tapering off. Commercially known as RTD liquors, breezers are pre-mixed cocktails that blend fruit juice, sweeteners and carbonated water. With an alcohol content typically between 4.8% and 5% ABV (alcohol by volume), they sit in the same range as many beers but appeal to consumers looking for milder taste profiles and convenience. Over the past decade, Telangana emerged as one of the most vibrant RTD markets in the country. What began as a Rs 100 crore segment gradually expanded into a robust market with annual consumption nearing 10 lakh cases. Industry observers attribute this growth to changing urban lifestyles, rising disposable incomes and a shift towards lighter, lifestyle-oriented alcoholic beverages.Unpaid duesThe current crunch, however, has exposed structural vulnerabilities. Only a handful of brands are in a position to supply RTD liquor at present, as local distilleries have not yet secured the required production permits. With limited domestic manufacturing capacity and major suppliers halting dispatches over unpaid dues, the pipeline has effectively dried up, sources said.Sources indicated that relief may depend on the govt clearing outstanding payments. “It seems companies are optimistic that soon the dues will be cleared. Though the govt cleared dues some time back, now again the dues have piled up,” a source said. While retailers have little clarity on restocking timelines, consumers wait for the return of the fizz that once defined Telangana’s breezer boom.
