The dramatic unraveling of craft beer brand Bira 91 began with a seemingly modest legal move - dropping “Private” from B9 Beverages Private Limited to become B9 Beverages Limited in 2023–24. That shift triggered a domino effect across India’s heavily regulated alcohol industry: every state treated the newly named company as a distinct entity, demanding fresh product registrations, label approvals, and licenses. 

Sales were frozen for months as regulatory bottlenecks delayed compliance. The company was forced to write off unsold inventory estimated around ₹80 crore, and revenue dropped by 22 percent in FY 24.  Losses soared to ₹748 crore, eclipsing its top line. 

Operational strain led to shut-downs of key breweries and widespread disruption in supply chain networks. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees demanded leadership change, pointing to unpaid dues and governance concerns. 

The Bira 91 saga is a cautionary tale - in regulated sectors, even minor corporate form changes must be navigated with deep legal foresight, or risk undoing a brand’s foundation.