Diageo to rework whisky, rum brands after FSSAI red flag

Diageo announced it will rework the formulation of its whisky and rum brands in India following a red flag from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). The company stated it has aligned with FSSAI’s new guidelines and taken measures to comply with revised requirements. This follows a regulatory crackdown earlier this month, where Diageo’s brands—including Antiquity Blue and Royal Challenge whisky (Madhya Pradesh) and McDowell’s No. 1 Celebration Matured XXX Rum (Maharashtra)—were temporarily barred in some states due to alleged labelling violations and non-compliance with flavouring standards. Royal Challenge is one of Diageo’s largest-selling domestically produced whisky brands.