John Distilleries Expects Rs 2,500 cr Revenue in Next 5 yrs: Invests Rs 600 cr for New Plant

Proost, a domestic beer brand established in 2017 by Tarun Bhargava and Vijay P. Sharma, has raised 30 crores in the Series-A investment round.

Hyderabad Angels, Chennai Angels, and other prominent HNIs participated in the venture, which was spearheaded by Chimes Group and Srinivasan Namala.

Commenting on this achievement, Tarun Bhargava, Co-Founder & CEO of Proost, said, "We are thrilled to announce this new round of funding, which represents a significant step forward in Proost's journey. With these funds, we will focus on expanding into strengthening our production capacity, expanding into a few new markets while also ensuring that we go deeper into our existing ones on the back of brand building.”

He further added, “This is Tranche-1 of our ongoing Series A round and it's great to see 90% of the round size being mopped by our existing investors. Our commitment to delivering value to our stakeholders remains unwavering, and this investment brings us closer to our goal of capturing a substantial share of the Indian beer market by the end of the decade."

The money will strengthen Proost's financial base and play a key role in its growth into new areas. With a significant presence in retail establishments in Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand, and Karnataka, Proost, which operates under the Grano69 Beverages banner, has established itself in the beer sector.

By the end of the decade, the brand hopes to have 5% of the Indian beer market thanks to strategic market expansion, customer-focused product development, and innovation.

With the goal of completely redefining the craft beer scene in India, BeeYoung, the nation's first handcrafted strong beer, is proud to present BeeYoung Beyond, a "Crafted International Style Pilsner" that blends traditional regional flavors with international brewing standards to produce a premium beer that is also proudly Indian. To provide customers with an experience that goes "beyond" their expectations by providing a premium, refreshing, and adaptable beer that can be enjoyed on a variety of situations.

Made with a specific blend of Doon Basmati rice from Uttarakhand and Belgian specialty malt, BeeYoung Beyond honors India's agricultural legacy while also having a smooth, velvety mouthfeel. This rice pays homage to the Himalayas, the birthplace of Kimaya Himalayan Beverages, and captures the splendor and diversity of the local way of life. BeeYoung Beyond is a robust and smooth beer with modest earthy, spicy, and floral aromas from specific hops.

"At BeeYoung, we've always believed in pushing the boundaries of what craft beer can be. BeeYoung Beyond is a testament to our commitment to craft excellence," said Abhinav Jindal, Founder & CEO of Kimaya Himalayan Beverages LLP. "The inclusion of Doon Basmati rice in our brew speaks to the unique flavor profile and reflects our dedication to sourcing local, high-quality ingredients that celebrate India's provenance. We are thrilled to offer our consumers something that goes beyond just beer—a true experience in every sip."

Bangalore-based Mossant Fermentary has launched the first clean-label tonics globally which will cater to healthier drinks. Mossant's most recent range of domestic tonics satisfies market demand for transparent, plant-based beverages as health and wellness trends continue to influence consumer choices.

The demand for healthy beverage options is expected to rise, as the non-alcoholic drink industry in India is predicted to increase by 6.72% and reach a market volume of $21.49 billion by 2028. The tonic foundation from Mossant Fermentary is made with common home components, making it a true clean-label product. The tonics are able to retain their quality and freshness without the need for additives because to the use of patented technology, which includes sophisticated filtration and pasteurization procedures. They come in four flavors—Classic Tonic, Jalapeño Tonic, Rosemary Tonic, and Passionfruit Tonic—and can be consumed on their own or as mixers.

"At Mossant, we believe in giving our consumers a better alternative to a soda without compromising on taste or flavor preferences," says Adithya Kidambi, CEO of Mossant Fermentary.It has been exciting to create India's first clean label tonics, and we are  enthusiastic about the Jalapeno Tonic—it's our attempt to add some "fun" to "fun'ctional!"

Commenting on the same, Shishir Sathyan, Co-Founder, Mossant Fermentary, said, “We believe that beverages should be fun to drink but are also better for you. Our new line of tonics is low in sugar, made from high-quality ingredients and we’re enthusiastic to bring this to the market.”

Jimmy’s Cocktails, a prominent name in the cocktails and mixers category in India, achieved profitability in FY’24. As part of its strategy to build a premium beverage portfolio, the company is now focusing on the fast-growing energy drinks segment with its brand Hustle.

Jimmy’s offers the widest range of cocktail mixers in India, including classic non-sparkling options like Whiskey Sour, Bloody Mary, Mango Chilli Mojito, Margarita, Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach, and Green Apple Martini. Recently, the company introduced a new range of sparkling mixers in premium blue glass bottles, featuring Tonic Waters, Soda, Mint Mojito, Lemonade, and Ginger Ale, challenging the market dominance of existing players.

Jimmy’s Cocktails commands over a 90 percent market share in its category. "One of the key reasons for this is our ability to make world-class products which erstwhile were only limited to the skill of a bartender," said a company representative. Their exclusive facility in Nashik allows them to constantly evaluate consumer trends and develop new products. With the addition of the sparkling range, Jimmy’s now boasts the widest portfolio in the market. The team’s extensive experience in sales, marketing, and distribution of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages further strengthens their market position.

At-home spirits consumption dominates over 80 percent of the alcohol beverage market. Jimmy’s targeted this segment from the start, aiming to deliver a bar-like experience at home at a competitive price. "Every time a consumer pours a peg of Spirits in its glass, be it Gin, Whisky, Vodka, or Rum, the balance of the glass is where we compete for," the representative added.

Jimmy’s is now also focusing on bar penetration with a two-pronged strategy. Their new range of sparkling mixers like Tonic Waters, Lemonade, and Ginger Ale is designed to appeal to premium bars. Additionally, Jimmy’s has introduced single-serve sizes of their cocktails, making it easier for smaller bars without a mixologist to offer a varied cocktail menu.

The market for mixers and club soda is currently valued at approximately 2000 crore and is growing at 12 percent annually. Jimmy’s aims to maintain its dominance in the non-carbonated, classic cocktail mixers segment while capturing market share in the sparkling mixers category with their new Tonic Water and Ginger Ale range.

Jimmy’s products are available in 20,000 outlets, and with the introduction of new, more affordable formats, they plan to expand to 50,000 outlets. Operational since mid-2021 post-COVID, Jimmy’s has ambitious plans to achieve a 300 crore revenue run rate profitably over the next three years.

Gulabs, a well-known name in the food industry, has launched a new line of "Iced Tea Concentrate," offering customers a range of flavors. The new flavors include Lemon Iced Tea, Lemon Ginger Iced Tea, and Lemon Mint Iced Tea, all available in 200 ml glass bottles.

What sets Gulabs' Iced Tea Concentrate apart is its use of real ingredients for flavor, aroma, and texture. Unlike other brands that use artificial additives, Gulabs focuses on creating beverages with authentic ingredients. This commitment ensures that each bottle contains the genuine taste of lemons, ginger, mint, and tea. From the first sip, customers can enjoy a refreshing natural taste without any essences or thickening agents.

"Gulabs' entry into the Iced Tea Concentrate category highlights our dedication to innovation and offering customers the best products. With real ingredients and convenient packaging, Gulabs Iced Tea Concentrate aims to change how people enjoy their favorite beverage. Whether it's a cool drink on a hot day or a thoughtful gift, Gulabs Iced Tea Concentrate provides a refreshing and wholesome experience," said Ruchika Gupta, Co-Founder of Gulabs.

The 200 ml bottles are designed to encourage customers to try different flavors and offer a convenient gifting option. Their compact size allows for easy storage and portability, making them perfect for individuals on the go. These bottles are ideal for sampling the various flavors or as a unique gift.

Gulabs also offers larger 1-liter packs for the HoReCa (Hotel-Restaurant-Café) industry. These packs are designed for establishments that want to provide a high-quality, natural Iced Tea experience. Packaged attractively and easy to use, Gulabs' HoReCa packs ensure that businesses can serve their customers with the same excellence that Gulabs is known for. Initially, the products will be available on their website, www.gulabs.in, and will later expand to other stores and online platforms.

SLAB Ventures Netherlands and AB InBev India has launched D’yavol Inception, a blended malt Scotch whisky tailored for connoisseurs of authentic luxury and refined living.

Following the resounding success of D'yavol Single Estate Vodka and D'yavol X, the exclusive limited-edition luxury streetwear line, the first Scotch whisky expression from D'yavol – aptly named Inception – embodies excellence and sophistication.

"We are thrilled to present D’yavol Inception as we continue our journey alongside our esteemed partners at AB InBev India. We took upon ourselves the challenge of combining exceptional single malts from different regions in a blend that brings out the best of each component malt. Created by our Master Blender, Vic Cameron, Inception is indeed the beginning of something very special, and we are confident it will become an instant classic,” said Bunty Singh, Co-Founder of SLAB.

D’yavol Inception is a peerless, non-chill filtered blended malt Scotch whisky that perfectly balances gentle peat and indulgent sherry notes and is designed for discerning aficionados with a keen eye for detail. This extraordinary composition is meticulously crafted in the heart of Scotland, blending eight distinct single malts from the illustrious regions of the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, and Islands. Created in small batches, the launch edition is presented in a highly distinctive luxury packaging adorned in timeless black and gold aesthetics, making this contemporary masterpiece a crowning jewel in any discerning connoisseur's private bar collection.

“We are pleased to expand our continued engagement with SLAB Ventures, unveiling this luxury offering representing our unrelenting pursuit of innovation and connection with discerning consumers. The market for Scotch Whiskies in India is growing as demand for luxury and imported spirits increases. With the launch of INCEPTION, we target whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs seeking a sophisticated drinking experience,” added Kartikeya Sharma, President - India AB InBev.

D’yavol Inception is currently available in Maharashtra for ₹9800, Goa for ₹9000 and Karnataka for ₹9500 and will soon be available in Delhi, West Bengal, UP, Haryana & Telangana.

SLAB was founded by Aryan Khan, Bunty Singh and Leti Blagoeva to provide a springboard for their idea of bringing a luxury lifestyle collective to the world. Based in The Netherlands, the company aims to establish strategic partnerships with leading industry outfits worldwide.

Bain & Company has announced a global services alliance with OpenAI, the research and deployment company behind the AI systems ChatGPT, DALL·E and Codex, which are changing the way people communicate and create.

The alliance builds on Bain’s adoption of OpenAI technologies for its 18,000-strong multi-disciplinary team of knowledge workers. Over the past year, Bain has embedded OpenAI technologies into its internal knowledge management systems, research, and processes to improve efficiency.

Given the early successes of those initiatives, Bain and OpenAI are working together to bring OpenAI’s groundbreaking capabilities to its clients globally. With the alliance, Bain will combine its deep digital implementation capabilities and strategic expertise with OpenAI’s AI tools and platforms, including ChatGPT, to help its clients around the world identify and implement the value of AI to maximize business potential.

The Coca-Cola Company is the first company to engage with the new alliance, Bain also announced today.

“AI has reached an inflection point and we foresee a huge wave of change and innovation for our clients across industries. We see this as an industrial revolution for knowledge work, and a moment where all our clients will need to rethink their business architectures and adapt. By collaborating with OpenAI, we’re delighted to have unmatched access to state-of-the-art foundation AI models, so that we can create tailored digital solutions for our clients and help them realize business value,” said Manny Maceda, Bain & Company’s Worldwide Managing Partner.

Bain and OpenAI are delighted that The Coca-Cola Company is the first company to engage with the alliance.  “Coca-Cola’s vision for the adoption of OpenAI’s technology is the most ambitious we have seen of any consumer products company,” said Kass of OpenAI. Coca-Cola is harnessing the power of ChatGPT and DALL-E in industry-leading ways to improve their already world-class brands, marketing, and consumer experiences.

“We are excited to unleash the next generation of creativity offered by this rapidly emerging technology,” said James Quincey, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company. “We see opportunities to enhance our marketing through cutting-edge AI, along with exploring ways to improve our business operations and capabilities.”

Country’s largest providers of F&B solutions with over 350 SKUs across cuisines are expanding their portfolio with the addition of a delectable range of Fruit Crushes.

Their beverage brand Marimbula has launched fruit crushes to amplify FSIPL’s reach amongst consumers & penetrate new markets.

FSIPL which is a one stop solution for all HORECA (Hotels, Restaurants, and Catering) needs is foraying into the mainstream retail formats as well with the launch of these crushes.

“The crushes range is a natural extension for Marimbula brand. We specialise in natural, unadulterated fruity flavours and what better way to take the brand to our new audiences such as kids and families than with the crushes range.” said Mr. Harshad Jain, Brand Head, Marimbula 

Brand’s Fruit Crush Range comprises of 8 fresh and fruity flavours, these are Pineapple, Strawberry, Mango, Butterscotch, Orange, Kiwi, Pink Guava and Litchi.

Their range contains 35% of fresh fruit content which is completely natural with good product consistency. With their flavours, one can create a limitless number of cocktails & mocktails ranging both Indian and International mixes.

It is the only brand that presents ethnic Indian flavours such as Saffron Cream, Paan, Cumin Spice, Tamarind, and Coconut Fudge. 

The brand USP is that it doesn’t require the addition of any preservatives and this helps in retaining its authentic taste & aroma at a competitive price of Rs. 250 and Rs. 280 for a 1-litre bottle.

Company’s range of crushes will be sold through E-commerce platforms, Modern trade formats and traditional HORECA distributors. 

Marimbula was launched in 2014 and is the first homegrown Indian brand of syrups. It is at the forefront of the expansion of the fruit-pulp market, which is anticipated to grow by USD 124.38 million from 2021 to 2026, at a CAGR of 7.61%. 

Alcoholic beverage maker Glenfiddich, releases its 21-year-old expression in India.

The malt is matured in a combination of American and European oak casks for 21 years and finished for four months in bourbon barrels seasoned with the Caribbean rum.

The rum is blended to the Speyside distiller’s secret recipe from several tropical Caribbean islands to awaken distinctive notes of ginger, lime and banana.

Gran Reserva is encased in a deep orange presentation box with references to the warm and mellow depths of flavour, that are the result of maturation in oak casks. The coloured box has been enhanced with gold foiling and a charcoal interior.

“The launch of Gran Reserva in India reflects our commitment to offer the best premium malts to the Indian consumers.” Said Sachin Mehta, Country Director- India.

Angad Singh Gandhi, Glenfiddich India Brand Ambassador, said The whisky's warmth is roused by the Caribbean rum finish, which brings out subtle yet lively fruity aromas on the palate.

Gran Reserva is presented in a classic glass bottle, with a paired-back logo, embossed in gold to allow the warmth of the liquid to shine through.

Glenfiddich is a single malt whisky owned and produced by William Grant & Sons Distillers Limited, an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and still controlled by the fifth generation of the family. Glenfiddich has gained a reputation for supporting the creative arts in India with various initiatives including the annual Artists in Residence programme and World’s Most Experimental Bartender Competition.

NAO Spirits, trailblazers of the Indian craft-gin space and makers of Greater Than and Hapusa are ready to launch yet another path-breaking limited-release gin, “Broken Bat”.

The disruptive distillers at Nao Spirits wanted to create their own version of a barrel-aged Gin with the idea of appealing to the curiosity of India’s massive population of brown-spirit drinkers.

While other kinds of wood were in consideration, they decided to take the out-of-the-box idea of using Kashmir Willow, or more specifically, cricket bats. They shaved and cleaned the bats and soaked them in a vat of high-proof Greater Than Gin for six weeks. The result was a twist on a classic gin that tastes almost like whisky!

While the cricket bats were crowd-sourced - lots of people have a broken/chipped bat lying in some corner of their house - they also worked with a bat-maker in Kashmir to source cracked or chipped wood that would otherwise have been wasted.

“Lots of distillers around the world have tried aging their Gins in oak barrels with some impressive results. India doesn’t necessarily have a tradition of oak barrels, hence we turned to another tradition of ours - Cricket! With this limited edition, we continue our tradition of pushing the boundaries of what is possible with Gin. Just like we did with Juniper Bomb and No-Sleep Gins, we hope to inject a bit of cheekiness and ingenuity into the gin world in a way only we can,” shared Anand Virmani, Co-founder, and Distiller.

The Broken Bat is an ode to India’s love for cricket in a bottle of India’s first craft gin.

A first of its kind, the Broken Bat is expected to launch officially in India and Australia by the middle of November 2022.

The limited edition will be available in 6 states in India, starting off in Goa followed by Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana & West Bengal by December 2022.

Bengaluru-based Salud Beverages has launched in the capital city on the 25th of June, 2022.

The Urban Lifestyle brand is looking to spread the Salud spirit far and wide, bringing customers its delicious line of Gin Refreshers, non-alcoholic bitters.

“We are very excited to bring Salud to Delhi. Every expansion of our brand brings more people into the fold and the Salud family grows. The introduction of our non-alcoholic bitters, Salud Sessions, merchandise, and of course, our Gin refreshers, in Delhi makes sure there is something for everyone who wants to experience the Salud lifestyle,” shared Ajay Shetty, the founder-director of Salud Beverages Pvt. Ltd.

After a successful launch in Chandigarh and well-established presence in Bangalore and Goa, Salud is bringing their entire range of products to Delhi.

Down South, Salud has created a community of people from different walks of life who all have one thing in common; their propensity to celebrate life. With something for everyone, Salud puts its best foot forward, bringing you premium quality and immaculate vibes in every single one of the brand's many endeavors. 

Owners of Stranger & Sons Gin, Third Eye Distillery is now all set to disrupt India’s gin landscape with two new limited-edition gins created in collaboration with Four Pillars distillery.

A collaboration between expert distilleries on either side of the Indian Ocean, with the main inspiration being the tides and coast that connect them, this partnership between Four Pillars and Third Eye Distillery was driven by their mutual passion for creating quality gins. ​​

The Gin will soon launch in India, Thailand, Singapore and the UK.

Four Pillars is an award-winning craft distillery based out of Australia, well-known for their ‘Distiller Series’, a yearly collaboration with an internationally reputed distillery.

“We first met the team from Stranger & Sons at Bar Convent Berlin in 2019 and we were taken by their passion, their expertise and by their complete and absolute charm. And their very first gin was terrific.” recalled Cameron Mackenzie, co-founder, Four Pillars.

The two contemporary distilleries initiated the collaboration via email correspondence during the lockdown with a firm intent to create two expressions of gin that capture the spirit of India and Australia.

“From first meeting the Four Pillars team at the Bar Convent Berlin in 2019 to being awarded a Gold Outstanding at the very same IWSC event where they won the International Gin Producer of the Year, this has been an extremely thrilling collaboration for us! We hit it off right from the start, as we were fascinated by their inept knowledge of the craft and passion towards Gin,” added Sakshi Saigal, Director & Co-founder of Third Eye Distillery.

With turmeric, finger lime, teppal, long peppers, red chilli and black cardamom, Four Pillars created Spice Trade Gin, their take on modern India.

Trading Tides Gin and Spice Trade Gin are currently available in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa and will be launching in Delhi soon.

Ready-to-Drink alcoholic beverage brand O’Be Cocktails has launched its fourth cocktail, O’Be Sauve Gin & Tonic.

The cocktail is made of crafted Gin of Rose, Juniper Berries and other botanicals with a hint of cucumber and tonic water.

"Ready-to-drink Cocktails are a hassle-free drinking experience that customers are interested in and with convenience being the most important factor, Gin & Tonic is becoming a highly fashionable cocktail in India,” shared Nitesh Prakash, Founder, O’Be Cocktails.

The cocktail is currently available in Goa and Bangalore and will soon be expanding to other states.

With 8% alcohol content available in 330 ml bottles, the O’Be Sauve Gin & Tonic comes with low sugar tonic water and a fresh rose aroma that goes directly into the soul and makes everyone fall in love with the flavor of the cocktail. 

"We have received a phenomenal market response and increase in sales towards O' Be cocktails Mojito, Cosmopolitan, and LIIT from the consumers. The continued growth encourages us to push further and innovate more cocktails for the consumers. We are extremely confident about the new flavor and we forecast to sell 1 million G&T cocktails in FY 22-23." he further added.

With the global trend toward ready-to-drink beverages increasing, O'Be cocktails were introduced to provide Indian consumers with a convenient cocktail- experience. Founded in 2019 by an Engineer- Nitesh Prakash, IIT Bombay Alumnus, O’Be Cocktail is a Bangalore-based RTD (Ready-to-Drink) premium Cocktail startup. In Sept 2020, with current market and expansion plans, the brand has plans to invest INR 100 Crore in the next 3 years and to be one of the leading players in the cocktail RTD industry. It had also raised Rs 3.5 Crore in an angel round led by First Cheque, Letsventure, Ola’s Bhavish Aggarwal, and Ankit Bhati, Tracxn founder Abhishek Goyal, and Sprout Investments.

Japanese beverage brand Sakurafresh had recently launched their world acclaimed and awards winning range of Zero Alcoholic spirits and liqueurs in India.

The range includes Amaretto Liqueur, Amaro Italiano Liqueur, Italian Red Bitter Liqueur, Reposado Spirit and Negroni among others.

The Amaretto and Amaro Italiano are the world’s first Zero alcohol versions of the same.

“As a global manufacturer of beverages for conscious consumers, we have a simple vision to enrich the health of our consumers by offering a wide variety of sustainable beverages,” shared  Naveen MV, Co-Founder by adding that these range of Zero Alcohol Spirits, Liqueurs, beverages and concentrates are carefully crafted by combining ancient recipes, and blends of botanicals & herbs that are sustainably grown along with extensive R and D and modern blending techniques to offer the consumer an unmatched sensory experience.

Headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, Sakurafresh Beverage & Food is a global manufacturer of beverages and culinary food products.

Sakurafresh India has a world class manufacturing unit in Mysore district which services India and the neighboring SAARC countries. 

Their portfolio also includes Cocktail Syrups, Citrusy and Tropical fruity Tarts, Tonic Water Concentrates and Aroma Finish (edible perfumes). Their Tonic water concentrate is the first in the world which is Quinine free.

Makers of Jimmy’s Cocktails has partnered with craft Gin brand Greater Than, to launch first alternate to Tonic Water for Gin lovers – a Gin Cherry Sour.

Crafted at the Jimmy’s Cocktail Labs by Yangdup Lama, world’s leading mixologist.

“Finding the right sour cherry was critical for this. We sampled many, finally zeroed in on a particular variety from Turkey which had the perfect balance of sweet and tart. When poured over ice or served chilled mixed with Greater Than Gin, the Cherry Sour delivers a perfect balance of sweet & sour with a lingering long finish of the ginger spice making it a well-rounded cocktail, perfect for all seasons,” said Yangdup Lama, Head of Product, Jimmy’s Cocktails.

The Jimmy’s Cherry Sour is best enjoyed on ice mixed with Gin or straight up as a refreshing chilled beverage.

“The team at Jimmy’s has been lighting up the beverage space and we’ve been big admirers of how they have managed to add a new dimension to at-home-drinking. We have been part of the trials of Gin Cherry Sour along with the legendary Yangdup Lama and are excited that this Jimmy’s x Greater Than collaboration is finally ready to hit the shelves,” added Anand Virmani, Co-founder and Distiller, Greater Than.

The Gin Cherry Sour is the seventh cocktail mixer from Jimmy’s Cocktails, which had recently launched a Bloody Mary & Margarita RTD-Mixer last year.

Currently, the new variant will be exclusively available nationwide at jimmyscocktails.com and soon will be hitting shelves across the country.

Parent company of award-winning Stranger & Sons Gin, Third Eye Distillery has acquired a majority stake in Countertop India.

With the idea of elevating bar culture on home ground and leading the industry towards innovation, Third Eye Distillery will amplify and enable Countertop’s vision for India to actively participate in the international bar landscape.

Founded by bartending veterans Arijit Bose and Pankaj Balachandran, Countertop is a consultancy focused on developing the F&B industry, right from setting up bars on par with global standards to advising spirit brands and helping them achieve market success.

“From our mutual appreciation of cocktail culture, knowledge and experience of the global beverage industry and shared vision to elevate bar culture in India, we found the Third Eye Distillery team to be on the same wavelength as us which was quite interesting. With their financial acumen and risk-taking approach towards innovation, both Pankaj and I are extremely excited to see how this partnership will propel our aspirations faster than we’d imagined,” shared Bose.

Founded by Sakshi Saigal, Rahul Mehra and Vidur Gupta, Third Eye Distillery was the first to explore contemporary style gins in India with their flagship spirit, Stranger & Sons, which has garnered praise and recognition across the globe.

“We’re thrilled to have the Countertop team on board and we’re really looking forward to channelling our creativity into setting up exceptional bars across the country,” added Saigal.

Through this partnership, Third Eye Distillery aims to enable and accelerate Countertop’s growth and uplift the Indian bar industry through training and education.

In the upcoming years, they will focus on creating a portfolio of imported brands to fill gaps in the beverage landscape and open global standard bars in major metro cities and tourist destinations in India.

They will work together to grow the ecoSPIRITS footprint in India, moving the Indian spirits market towards a zero net carbon trajectory and helping the country achieve its sustainability goals.

Whiskey startup Ginglani Distillers has raised ₹6.6 crores (~$0.9 million) in its Pre-Series-A round led by Supermorpheus, Eagle10 Ventures (via LV Angel Fund) & Grand Anicut Angel Fund.

The round saw participation from a diverse set of investors including startup founders Nitin Kaushal & Chakradhar Gade (Country Delight), Rohan Mirchandani & Epigamia Founding Team, Prashant Pansare (Business Head India & MEA, Airmeet), Mohit Srivastava (Ex-MD Airbnb India) & Sameer Guglani (Co-founder, Supermorpheus), among others.

“When one thinks of whiskey, the usual names that come to mind are Scotch, Bourbon or even Japanese. Considering Indians are actually the largest consumers of whiskey in the world, it is surprising that there is no noteworthy Indian whiskey category in India or globally. The only existing Indian category is IMFL or Indian Made Foreign Liquor which is confusing and inaccurate to say the least. It is this gap and under-representation of Indian whiskies that led to the birth of Black Bow - India’s 1st Himalayan Whiskey,” shared Shivam Ginglani, the founder & young 30 year old 1st generation whiskey entrepreneur.

With the funds infusion, Ginglani Distillers has launched their brands in the Delhi market, plans to strengthen their core team and ramp up their marketing initiatives both in-retail and on social media.

The whiskey startup aims to kickstart the homegrown whiskey movement by making honest, authentic and accessible brands, moving away from the old & serious connotations of whiskey and make the category a lot more fun and exciting for the younger consumers of India.

The Delhi-based brand has already created a substantial impact in the state of Himachal Pradesh and the brands are available at over 200 retail stores within a month of launch in Delhi. They aim to close March 2022 with a $3 million ARR and plan to enter Chandigarh and Mumbai markets soon.

Bombay Sapphire launches Ready-to-Drink (RTD) enabling its consumers to now enjoy the premium gin as a bar-quality Gin & Tonic serve.

The much-anticipated offering combines the brand’s heralded, vapour-infused London Dry Gin with the perfect balance of tonic water, for a superior taste experience. 

BOMBAY SAPPHIRE has been disrupting the category ever since its iconic blue bottle landed on shelves within a sea of green glass.

"Bombay Sapphire is known for stirring creativity in various capacities and disrupting the market with its innovative vision. Besides versatility and convenience, one of the key focuses while launching the Bombay Sapphire RTD was to emphasize and ensure that the quality of the drink remained intact,” shared Adtnu Tiwari, Senior Brand Manager, Premium White Spirits, Bacardi India Private Ltd.

The perfectly balanced gin’s amalgamation with tonic offers a premium quality cocktail to-go with no artificial flavours or colours added to the final product.

The sleek, matte finish packaging has been carefully designed to preserve the standard of the serve, both on-shelf and once purchased. The material helps protect the liquid from sunlight keeping the G&T fresher and colder for longer.

Available individually or in a pack of four, the can is 100% recyclable.

Beverage start-up Lahori that sells ‘desi’ packaged aerated drinks has raised $15 Mn in funding from Belgium-based Verlinvest.

With this round, Verlinvest has also acquired an undisclosed minor stake in the Punjab based brand.

“We are delighted to partner with Verlinvest in our journey to become a widely loved beverage brand in the country. We want to give Indian consumers beverage options that resonate with their taste palette,” shared Saurabh Munjal, cofounder and CEO of Lahori by adding that the ethnic beverages market in India is underserved, and they have the vision to become a prominent force in this space.

Lahori sells ‘desi’ (local or indigenous) packaged aerated drinks including nimboo (lemon )soda, kacha aam (raw mango) soda, and shikanji (Indian lemonade), mostly in Punjab.

It plans to use the freshly raised capital to expand production capacity and its presence across the country, while also investing in branding and marketing.

“Given the legacy of our Belgian family shareholders, beverages are a core focus area for us. Lahori has become a dominant player in the space in a very short time, creating a product loved by the masses. Among all the beverage companies we have seen so far in India, Lahori stood out for its taste, product innovation and customer pull. We are excited to work with them on their next leg of growth,” added Shagun Tiwary Shah, an investor at Verlinvest.

Verlinvest is a family-owned investment group that is part of AB InBev that has over 400 beer brands under its management. It has also invested in other Indian startups including Veeba, Epigamia to name a few.

Say cheers to the hottest global trend being introduced in the coolest Indian drink. One that lets you have all the fun without worrying about calories.

Hard- Seltzer is a fresh, new category of alcoholic beverage that is gaining skyrocketing popularity all around the world.

Alcoholic beverage brand Wild Drum with no added colour has launched low calorie, vegan and gluten free hard seltzer.

It is a refreshing drink made with clear carbonated water, alcohol and is infused with natural fruit flavorings.

“For us, entering the nouveau hard-seltzer category is a huge step forward. Hard-seltzers are becoming increasingly popular across the globe as a perfect combination of a hydrating and a refreshing alcoholic beverage. It is healthier and thus a preferred alternative to beer,” shared a company statement.

Famous celebrities like Travis Scott, Gordon Ramsay, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas have been raving about hard-seltzers.

“Our brand speaks to a diverse group of people, who revel in a variety of ways ranging from relaxed and chilled to going completely uninhibited and wild. The audience is largely aware of the negative effects of alcohol combined with high sugar intake and appreciates the option of a novel drink with outstanding taste that is guilt- free,” it added.

Wild Drum can be found in all major wine shops throughout Maharashtra, Goa, and Madhya Pradesh.

It will be available for online sale in the near future, according to the firm.

Urban lifestyle brand, Salud Beverages, has announced the launch of 3 more pour-and-enjoy variants – A Watermelon & Mint G&T 2.0, Salud Strong, and Salud Sonic.

With the introduction of these three new offerings, the brand strengthens its portfolio of easy-to-drink beverages that enable people to unwind, bond with their tribe, and celebrate life in an uncomplicated way – Life 2.0, they call it. 

Like the original G&T 2.0 lineup, these three new drinks are pre-mixes and refreshers that are easy to carry.

Priced at Rs 130, Salud Beverages are available at all retail outlets. Founded by Ajay Shetty, ex-banker turned entrepreneur who successfully sold his previous wine venture, to lead and build a whole new lifestyle brand, it is backed by investors like Prasad Vanga from Anthill Ventures, Rana Dagubatti, actor and an active investor and UrbanI, speed scaling partner.

Radiohead Brands, owner of Jimmy’s Cocktails’ has announced the launch of two new variants in its cocktail mixers portfolio.

Keeping in mind the brand’s vision to allow consumers to recreate gourmet bar-style cocktails at home, the new variants - Margarita and Bloody Mary are crafted by an in-house team led by celebrated mixologist Yangdup Lama, who has worked to benchmark the products against popular global variants to perfect their flavours.

“For a long time now, choice of mixers with premium spirits has been limited largely to sugary aerated beverages or fruit juices. Jimmy’s Cocktails offers the consumer an upgrade to his home drinking experience to deliver a bar quality, consistent cocktail in the comfort of his home,” shared Ankur Bhatia, Founder & CEO, Jimmy’s Cocktails who aims to keep the product line fresh with a stream of new variant launches over the coming year.

The products by Jimmy’s Cocktails will be seen hitting the shelves in a striking but simple avatar to draw focus on the brand name and let the product speak for itself.

The pop-art on the brand’s maiden packaging will undergo a makeover and find expression in brand communication outside of the bottle.

The newly launched beverage variants are currently available on www.jimmyscocktails.com and will be shortly available on third party online platforms like BigBasket, Amazon and Milkbasket and will hit retail shelves by end of the month.

“Mixed drinks are all about great flavour balance leading to deliciousness in a glass, and that is what we have tried to achieve in both the premixes with a little twist of our own,” added Yangdup Lama, Product Head, Jimmy’s Cocktails.

Summer can’t arrive soon enough and with brighter days ahead, Starbucks is here for the summer feels with its lineup of colorful summer beverages and tasty food to make this season As Summer As Possible (A.S.A.P.). The new summer menu is available at Starbucks stores in U.S. and Canada beginning Tuesday, May 11.

The summer menu features the new Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino® blended beverage and returning favorite Unicorn Cake Pop. Customers can also continue to enjoy the Caramel Ribbon Crunch and Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino® blended beverages and a variety of colorful Starbucks Refreshers® beverages, including the Dragon Drink, Pink Drink, Mango Dragonfruit Starbuck Refreshers® beverage and Strawberry Açaí Lemonade Starbucks Refreshers® beverage.

There are several convenient ways to order Starbucks new summer menu. Customers can use the Starbucks app to locate a store, view store hours, order ahead and use contactless payment, as well as determine the most convenient available pick-up option, including: in-store, at the door, drive-thru, and curbside pickup where available. Those looking for Starbucks® coffee without leaving home can place an order for delivery through Starbucks® Delivers via Uber Eats (check the Uber Eats app for availability and restrictions).

Looking to switch up your coffee routine at home this summer? Starbucks is elevating what you expect from multi-serve instant coffee with the launch of NEW Starbucks® Premium Instant, created with the same high-quality beans used in Starbucks cafes.

Customers can also pick up new Starbucks Cold & Crafted bottled coffees and Evolution Fresh cold-pressed juices including Organic Cucumber Glow, Organic Vital Berry, and Organic Carrot Citrus Radiance. All available online and where you buy groceries nationwide.

Gurgaon-based beverage brand Jimmy’s Premium Cocktail mixers have raised Rs 6 crore in a pre-series funding.

The bridge round was led by Vinay Agarwal, director, First State Stewart Asia and Keki Mistry, HDFC Ltd, among others.

Existing investors and the founders of the company also participated in the funding round.

“This investment from investors who had participated in our previous round is testimony to our vision to be a market leader in the emerging premium beverage segment in India,” said Ankur Bhatia, founder, Jimmy’s Cocktails.

Launched in September 2019, Jimmy’s Cocktails had completed a seed round of Rs 2.5 crore just before the lockdown was announced.

“In less than a year, Jimmy’s Cocktails has scaled its presence to 1,500 retail outlets across 20 cities and seen a 20X growth. However, while we continue to invest behind the brand and scale our operations, our resolve to build an inherently profitable business is strong,” added Nitin Bhardwaj, Co-founder & COO of Jimmy’s Cocktails.

Blisswater Industries Private Limited today introducedRahasya – a craft vodka inspired by the mysticism, heritage, and folklore of India.

Currently available exclusively in Goa where it is produced, it will soon be available in other parts of India as well.

Rahasya is the brainchild of Varna Bhat, a first-generation entrepreneur who comes from a creative industry background of branding, events and experiential marketing.

“The intention was to create a product from India for the world with pride in India’s rich and glorious civilizational brilliance” said Varna.

Rahasya is a Sanskrit word that means mystery, or secret. What makes Rahasya unique is its flavour profile, which takes inspiration fromvarious elements that are inherent to the Indian way of life. Rahasya is designed to take us back to our roots and yet push us to new; where culture and Indian roots combine to create an immersive experience; to a land of possibilities and the land of mystique.

“The new Indian consumer takes pride in what is Indian, not just in terms of being manufactured in India but something that speaks of India in its identity. Rahasya is for the self-confident Indian generation that believes in thepreimmunisesof a homegrown product. (deleted the word ‘hangovers’ – did not want to use it,” she added.

By the end of 2021, Rahasya will be available across Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and other statesthe country. Blisswater also plans to make the vodka available overseas as early as mid-2021.

Ready-to-drink Gin & Tonic brand Salud gets funding from actor and entrepreneur Rana Daggubati and Anthill Ventures.

“I have worked with startups through many years, across various domains. This enables me to understand the process of nurturing and growing a business from scratch. When Salud approached me with their vision, long term plan, brand ethos, & product portfolio, it was an easy decision to make,” shared Rana Daggubati, a serial entrepreneur-actor & advisor and investor at Salud.

Also Read: Gin-brand NAO Spirits and Beverages bags USD 2 Million in Series A

The brand also launches first ever ready to drink Gin & Tonic range in India.

Positioned as a lifestyle brand, Salud’s priority is to bring premium quality, at affordable pricing, for all age groups and lifestyles.

Salud launches G&T 2.0 with its first three flavours- Original, Cucumber, and Lavender. 

“We are a brand with the desires to create a distinct identity with our products. We want to innovatively impact the alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage landscape alongside being unique,” added Ajay Shetty, the founder-director of Salud Beverages Pvt.

Also Read: How This Gin-Brand is making it to the globe during the pandemic

Adding to the same, Prasad Vanga, Advisor and Investor to Salud & Founder and CEO of Anthill Ventures shared his experience, “From the very beginning we saw great potential in the brand, and the people behind it. They are hardworking and driven individuals. With so much passion, and belief in their products, adding to a portfolio that is so diverse, we are excited to finally introduce Salud to the world.”

With the onset of winters and COVID-19 in full swing, our immune system has taken a toll. Keeping this in mind, Storia® Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., has launched a ready to drink turmeric latte for consumers to boost immunity.

“Turmeric (Haldi) is every Indian household's go-to fix for various health problems. Its usage has been long embedded in the ancient Ayurvedic practice and has been cited to promote the holistic health of the body. Consumer has always been the centre for us and we are happy to launch the new product-Turmeric Latte, an immunity booster beverage for them during COVID times,” shared Vishal Shah, Founder & Managing Director, Storia® Foods & Beverages Pvt. Ltd.

Also Read: F&B startup Storia launches D2C channel for customers

Besides being healthy, Storia Turmeric Latte is available in three tasty flavours of Classic Turmeric, Aromatic Saffron and Tasty Nutmeg.

This drink is available in 180 ml ready-to-drink bottle and can be consumed regularly by any age group at any hour of the day.

The drink is available at Storia’s recently launched D2C website, which is active in Delhi and Mumbai. Customers in other cities can avail the drink by ordering online from Amazon.

Started in April 2017, Storia is currently present across 50,000+ retail outlets in 33 cities. They comprises of Shakes, 100% Natural Tender Coconut Water, Beverage Whitener and Street Style juices.

Missus Sippi starts delivery in Mumbai as Mumbai’s first and only regional beverage kitchen.

The beverage player has memories from almost every regional kitchen in India. Not just a beverage delivery kitchen, it is a nostalgia mixologist that actualises the power of childhood memory into every 300 ml bottle it serves.

Also Read: This Cafe serves regional flavoured food with a ‘Dhansoo’ twist

“Our woke generation is now using science to come to terms with what our mothers and grandmothers knew all along. Adding a pinch of jeera for digestion, using gur to aid detox - these are tasty hacks our mothers have been using to take care of us for years, from what can only be considered the apothecary of their kitchens. At Missus Sippi, we believe that the city’s new found fondness for regional cuisine must anoint them as the true brand ambassador, and push Indian mothers to the forefront by making their heritage drinks cool,” shared Kunal Malhotra, co-founder.

Bringing nostalgic flavours of Indian beverages to a more mainstream audience, however, is no easy task. Each drink on Missus Sippi’s menu is evocative of  a grand history lesson of its own, with a uniquely ‘Indian ceremony’ or ‘experience’ attached to it.

May Interest: Restaurants Unlock 2020

Made from local spices of their region - these concoctions also serve as tempting alternatives to binging aerated drinks or those with soda, thanks to the ‘umame’ of their signature taste profiles.

Mumbai-based Storia Food & Beverages Pvt Ltd, has announced the launch of shop.storiafoods.com ,a direct-to-consumer channel in Mumbai to gain an edge via online shopping amid shifting consumer behaviour.

The initiative will be replicated in other cities as well across the country in coming months.

The website will allow shoppers from Mumbai to order Storia’s products online with exclusive offer.

The company has also introduced ‘zero contact delivery’ initiative on all prepaid orders. In past few months, Storia has created their presence in modern trade and e-Commerce channels to grow the reach of its product to consumers.

“With the COVID-19 outbreak and home-quarantine regulations, we’ve seen an unprecedented spike in online shopping, delivery and traffic,” shared Vishal Shah, Founder & Managing Director, Storia® Foods & Beverages Pvt Ltd.

Launching this new D2C channel allows for the opportunity to engage with our consumers directly, to learn from them, and use these learnings to continuously optimize everything from the shopping experience to the products themselves”, he further added.

“In this new world, paradigms have shifted and so has the goal post. It’s essential for brands that want to win to understand their customers and control the entire value chain,” added Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, CEO & Co-Founder, Gozoop.

Storia® was incorporated in April 2017 and is currently present across 50,000+ retail outlets in 33 cities.

Storia®’s product portfolio comprises of Shakes, 100% Natural Tender Coconut Water, Beverage Whitener and Street Style juices. Storia® shakes are the highest fruit content shakes in India and all their products are free of preservatives and additives making them 100% natural with superior health benefits.

Coolberg has secured $3.5 million in Series A funding round led by RB Investments (Singapore-based family office) and its existing investor, India Quotient. Ashish Goenka, Chairman of Suashish Diamonds Ltd, and a pool of investors from Indian Angel Network (IAN) have also participated in the round.

Coolberg was started by Pankaj Aswani and Yashika Keswani in 2016. The brand operates in the premium soft beverages category, catering to those who do not want to consume alcohol due to religious and cultural beliefs and lifestyle or health choices but still wish to enjoy premium beverages.

The offerings of Coolberg include non-alcoholic beers in flavours such as malt, ginger, mint, and strawberry.

Yashika, Co-founder and COO, Coolberg, said, “The Indian beverage market is witnessing an interesting transformation with an increased demand for new flavours. All our variants are unique, refreshing, and new to the market. Our R&D team is strong and keeps a close eye on consumer needs.”

Earlier, Coolberg had raised an undisclosed seed funding in 2018 from venture capital firm India Quotient and IAN’s maiden fund.

Pankaj, Co-Founder of Coolberg, added, “Basically, anywhere you find a cola, we want you to be able to find a Coolberg as well.” He added that the fresh investment would help the company to strengthen its distribution network and enhance brand awareness.”

At present, the brand has distribution networks across major Indian cities, with 12,000 outlets across states including Bihar, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, UP, Jharkhand, Goa, Karnataka, Telangana, West Bengal, and Rajasthan.

Yellow Tie Hospitality, restaurant franchise management company, will launch the Taiwan-based beverage brand Chachago in India in January. The company is planning to open 100 Chachago outlets by 2021.

Apart from India, Yellow Tie Hospitality has also got the master franchise rights to develop Chachago in markets like Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and West Asia.

Karan Tanna, Founder & CEO of Yellow Tie Hospitality said, "Our focus is on developing a strong portfolio of brands in the restaurant space that can be scaled up through efficient franchising management. We felt there was lack of a beverage-focused restaurant brand in our portfolio. Hence, we decided to acquire the franchise rights for Chachago, which is known as the 'House of Milk Tea'."

"This is also the first time that an Indian company has got franchise rights to develop a brand in mature markets in the West Asian region," he added.

Chachago is known for its milk teas, bubble teas, fruit-infused beverage, cheese-based beverages, milkshakes, and other speciality beverages and desserts. The brand has a presence in Taiwan, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Tanna further stated, "We believe the brand has a huge potential in the Indian region. It will be positioned in the QSR segment with the average store size of 100-500 sq ft. Initially, we will open some flagship stores in metros on our own. Then we will look at roping in franchise territory partners for north, south, east and west and have plans to open 100 Chachago stores by 2021."

Brewhouse, the maker of bottled ice tea brand, has received $2 million funding from Singapore-based FMCG Group Food Empire Holdings, Positive Food Venture Pvt Ltd.

In November 2017, Food Empire Group had invested $6,00,000 in Positive Food Ventures. The group is operational in more than 24 countries.

Siddharth Jain, Founder of Brewhouse, said, "At Brewhouse, we are passionate about providing a better-tasting and healthier beverage option to consumers who are looking for alternatives to soft drinks. Currently, we are present at over 2,000 points of sale in major cities and are expanding our operation pan India. We plan to invest the loan amount from Food Empire Group towards expanding our reach to 10,000 points of sale in 2020 and to introduce newer and interesting variants."

Food Empire Group started operations in Delhi in May 2017. Recently, the brand expanded to more than 10 cities including Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Lucknow. It is retailing with over 300 restaurant & café partners.

दिल्ली स्टेट कंज्यूमर डिस्प्यूट्स रीड्रेसल कमीशन (एससीडीआरसी) ने पेप्सिको इंडिया को दिल्ली निवासी करिश्मा को पचास लाख रूपए देने के निर्देश दिए हैं। करिश्मा ‘पेप्सी यंगिस्तान का वाव’ की विजेता रही हैं, जो कंपनी द्वारा इंडियन प्रीमियर लीग-2010 में आयोजित किया गया था।

गौरतलब है कि कमीशन का अनुभव है कि कंपनीज ज्यादातर उपभोक्ताओं को आकर्षित करने के लिए ऐसे बड़े-बड़े पुरस्कार घोषित करती है, पर विजेताओं के हाथ कुछ भी नहीं लगता। इसलिए ये निर्देश दिया गया।

दिल्ली कंज्यूमर कमीशन ने पेप्सिको को पुरस्कार राशि के साथ हर्जाना राशि दस हजार और अभियोग राशि दस हजार तीस दिन के अंदर देने के निर्देश दिए हैं।

कमीशन के सदस्य एन. पी. कौशिक का कहना है, ‘’कंपनीज अक्सर उपभोक्ताओं को लुभाने के लिए बड़े-बड़े पुरस्कारों की घोषणा कर देती है और लोगों से इन प्रतिस्पर्धाओं में भागीदारी का आग्रह करती है। यह सब बिजनेस को बढ़ावा देने के उद्देश्य से किया जाता है।‘’

कमीशन ने यह भी बताया कि हालांकि बड़ी संख्या में प्रतिभागियों को सांत्वना पुरस्कार संगीत और गाने डाउनलोड करने के रूप में दिया गया पर विजेता के हाथ कुछ भी नहीं लगा।  

The Delhi State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SCDRC) has directed PepsiCo India to pay Rs 50 lakh to Delhi resident Karishma. She was the winner of a competition "Pepsi Youngistan Ka Wow" organised by the company in 2010 Indian Premier League. 

The order comes after the commission noted that there is a growing tendency among companies to attract customers by announcing big prizes but the winner is hardly given anything. 

The Delhi consumer commission asked PepsiCo India to pay the amount along with compensation of Rs 10,000 and litigation charges Rs 10,000 within 30 days.

NP Kaushik, a member of the commission, said, "There is a growing tendency amongst the corporates to attract the customers by announcing big prizes and asking the public to participate in the competitions. It is done with a motive to promote business."

The commission has also stated that though consolation prizes were given to a large number of participants in the form of downloading music and songs, the winning prize was hardly given. 

Coca-Cola India has hired Asha Sekhar as Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, India and South West Asia.

In her new role, she will focus on the company's journey towards digital transformation. Asha will build foundations necessary for business growth, drive opportunities and strengthen Coca-Cola India's digital ecosystem.

T Krishnakumar, President of Coca-Cola India & South West Asia, said, "Digitalization is disrupting all industries and redefining the ways companies connect, engage, communicate and do business. Asha's expertise in delivering consumer-focused digital experience will help in our journey towards becoming more relevant and future ready."

"This new addition to the leadership team of Coca-Cola in India is designed to address developing business needs and reinforces our commitment towards investing in diversity and talent development," he added.

Asha Sekhar is a Coca-Cola veteran and has spent more than 13 years with the company.

Prior to this new role, she worked for over a decade with WPP, Universal McCann, Madison and Mudra, managing media businesses for leading brands.

पेय और अल्प खाद्य पदार्थ दिग्गज पेप्सिको ने घोषणा की है कि वह सोडास्ट्रीमको 320करोड़ डॉलरमें खरीदेगी। सोडास्ट्रीम के बकाया स्टॉक के लिए 144डॉलरप्रति शेयर, जो 30 दिनों की मात्रा के भारित औसत मूल्य का 32% प्रीमियम है,का भुगतान करने कीपेप्सिको ने स्वीकृति दी है।

यह सौदा, सोडास्ट्रीम के लिए, पेप्सिको की मजबूत वितरण क्षमताओं,वैश्विक पहुंच, अनुसंधान एवं विकास, डिजाइन और विपणन विशेषज्ञता के जरिये आगे के विस्तार और महत्वपूर्ण सफल नवाचार के लियेएक अच्छा अवसर है।

सोडास्ट्रीम विश्व मेंबबलयुक्त कार्बोनाटेड पानी(पेय) का सबसे बड़ा ब्रांड है, जो बटन के एक क्लिक पर फ्लैवर्ड(अलग-अलग स्वादयुक्त) पानी के पेय (ड्रिंक्स)मुहैया कराती है। कंपनी की स्थापना 1903 में ब्रिटेन में हुई थी।

पेप्सिको की चेयरमैन और सीईओ इंद्रा नूई ने कहा कि, "पेप्सिको और सोडास्ट्रीम एक दूसरे से प्रेरित जोड़ीदार हैं। डैनियल और उनके नेतृत्व वाली टीम ने एक असाधारण कंपनी बनाई है जो उपभोक्ताओं को कचरे की मात्रा को कम करते हुए शानदार स्वाद वाले पेय पदार्थ बनाने का अधिकार प्रदान कर रही है। एक-दूसरे के साथ हम एक स्वस्थ, चिरस्थायी जीव स्थल की हमारी साझा दूरदृष्टि को आगे बढ़ा सकते हैं।"

सोडास्ट्रीम के उत्पाद पेप्सी के बढ़ते पोर्टफोलियो को संपूर्णता प्रदान करते लागत-प्रभावी,मांग के अनुरूप एवं पारंपरिक बबलयुक्त (फिजी)पेय के मजेदार विकल्प होंगे।

Beverage and snack giant PepsiCo has announced that it will buy SodaStream for $3.2 billion. PepsiCo agreed to pay $144 per share in cash for SodaStream's outstanding stock, a 32% premium to its 30-day volume weighted average price.

For SodaStream, the deal is a chance for further expansion and breakthrough innovation through PepsiCo's strong distribution capabilities, global reach, R&D, design and marketing expertise. SodaStream is the largest sparkling water brand in volume in the world, providing flavoured water drinks at the click of a button. The company was founded in Britain in 1903.

Indra Nooyi, PepsiCo’s Chairman and CEO, said, “PepsiCo and SodaStream are an inspired match. Daniel and his leadership team have built an extraordinary company that is offering consumers the ability to make great-tasting beverages while reducing the amount of waste generated. Together, we can advance our shared vision of a healthier, more sustainable planet”.

The products of SodaStream will be a cost-effective, customised and fun alternative to traditional fizzy drinks, fully complementing Pepsi’s growing portfolio.

Coca-Cola India has rejigged its leadership team to enable India and South West Asia business to be a growth engine for the Coca-Cola Company. The company has roped in Chandrasekar Radhakrishnan as vice-president, strategy and insights, for the company’s India operations, and Sundeep Bajoria as vice president for its south-west Asia operations. 

Chandrasekar will take charge of the company’s strategic initiatives to accelerate the pace of innovation and assess opportunities to offer a broader portfolio of beverages to consumers. Sundeep, prior to this new role, was the vice-president, strategy and insights, of the company.

T Krishnakumar, President of Coca-Cola India & South West Asia, said, “We believe there are significant opportunities that lie ahead of us to grow our portfolio and meaningfully penetrate the market. These changes will address developing business needs and pave the way to develop a stronger portfolio for the future. It also reinforces our commitment towards investing in talent development”.

Manpasand Beverages has posted a 1.32 percent gain in net profit at Rs 36.38 cr for the first quarter ended June 30, 2018, as against net profit of Rs 35.91 crore in the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Revenue for the quarter under review stood at Rs 340.07 crore, an increase of 9.24 percent as compared to Rs 311.30 crore it posted during the corresponding quarter of previous fiscal. Earnings Per Share for the first quarter of the financial year 2019 was up 1.29 percent at Rs 3.18 per share, it said during its earnings announcement.

According to the company, the rise in net profit is not commensurate to rise in revenue mainly due to the reduction in other income and rise of depreciation (Non-Cash Item). The company is showing stable QoQ performance and is moving ahead promisingly, it said.

“Issues unrelated to operations caused some spillover and impacted our business in the month of June. Despite this challenge, we managed to perform relatively well and kept ourselves focused on expansion and product development. Operations are now back to normal and we continue to be confident about our growth plans," said Dhirendra Singh, Chairman & MD of Manpasand Beverages.

"Manpasand remains confident about the next fiscal year. Augmenting our presence through Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs), food chains, and retailers to develop stronger brand recognition for our products among consumers will continue to be the main driver of the company’s growth. The company will take this symbiotic growth approach in the coming days too. Product innovation and enhancing the distribution network will be the primary focus areas in our endeavor to create a point of differentiation amongst our local and global competitors," Singh further said.

Homegrown fruit drink maker is planning to expand other vertical with new product range launch subsuming milk-based drinks, fruit-based sugar-free drinks, glucose drinks and protein-based drinks to bring overall revenues on rise and will provide a significant boost in our growth journey across local and global markets.

Viiking Beverages, owner of Goa Kings beer, is in talks with investors to raise up to 200 crore by the end of this quarter to help expand its product portfolio and open two new production units, a top executive said.

The company has also planned its initial public offering (IPO) by the end of 2019 or early 2020 to fund its ambitious expansion plan, Manoj Asrani, the newly appointed chief executive officer of Viiking Beverages, told ET . It has already roped in Grant Thornton to prepare for the IPO.

"We are in the final leg of discussion with an investor to raise between 150-200 crore," said Asrani, who is also chief marketing officer of Viiking Ventures, the holding company of Viiking Beverages, owned by film actor and producer Sachiin Joshi.

Asrani said there is great demand for Goa Kings Beer, which cannot be fulfilled by the firm's two existing breweries in Goa and Jammu .

"From 30,000-40,000cases last year, we are already doing 3 lakh cases a month now, but the demand is for over 5 lakh cases," he said.

Once we get the funds, we will open two production units, which will cost us at least 45-60 crore each only in capital expenditure," Asrani said.

Viiking Beverages is also looking to tie up with existing breweries under sub-lease model to boost production in the meantime. "There are lots of sick breweries, or units where they are not producing up to their potential. We have finalised one in Rajasthan and we have proposals from Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, where we will finalise one," Asrani said.

"The South Indian brewery will take care of the entire market and will cut our cost and increase profit margins by almost Rs 110 per case," he said.

The company is looking at a demand of over 1 million cases per month across the country, with five south Indian states accounting for 40% of it.

The company also plans to implement software-based selling systems, which has analytical tools to update on daily changing market dynamics.

Asrani said the company grew 300% in 2017-18 when it expanded its presence to more than 15 states in India and to about seven other countries. "I have been overlooking the sales and distribution area of Viiking Beverages for the past six months, as I strongly believe that the right distribution network is the key for the growth for any beverage company," he said. "Our recently launched Kings Goa Maxx, the strong lager beer has seen a significant growth in its first month of being launched in Delhi by absorbing close to 10% market share," he said.

Outside India, the company plans to expand into the UAE, US, UK and Timor-Leste.