Breaking new ground with Ready-to-Chug

When, after a few years’ experience, Arun Raina and Pranav Teredesai realised that the taste and demand of the alcohol consumers were ready for a swift change, their analysis of the prevailing market led them to explore a new territory – that of a ready-to-chug double alcohol shot. Thus, was born Incredible Spirits Private Limited which quickly paved the way for a brand called ‘Swigger’. Now, after establishing a strong foothold in Goa, Swigger is ready for expansion across both domestic and international territories. Here is their ambition-driven story.

A Greek philosopher once said that the only constant in life was change. Well, he certainly hit the nail on the head or, to use another term, nail it right! So, what happens in terms of change in the alcoholic beverages industry? As the tastes and demands of the consumers change, the doors open for new spirits and brands to make an entry, which certainly has been in the case for Incredible Spirits (P) Limited, Co-founded by Arun Raina and Pranav Teredesai. Realising that there was a gap between consumers willing to experiment with new products and the availability of innovative drinks, the duo set about establishing an ‘onthe-go’ brand.

“It was a close look at the aspirational need of the consumers for a premium drink that gave us the drive to launch ‘Swigger’, the fun-inspired, ready-to-chug double alcohol shots. These are convenient and the objective was to tap the consumers’ fun space inside their minds,” says CEO & Co founder Arun Raina, who is a post-graduate from the Symbiosis Institute of Management and has had the experience of working with leading brands like Fosters and Carlsberg in India. Co-founder Pranav Teredesai is an alumnus of Finolex College of Engineering. The company is based out of Pune, with a manufacturing base at Ponda in Goa.

An Ambitious Venture

Swigger, premium all-natural flavour drink infused with multidistilled spirits was launched in mid-September 2023 in Goa and the plan is to scale it up across more cities beginning December 2024 that will include Gurugram, Benguluru, Odisha. They aspire to enter even a few international markets. Their distillery has the capacity to produce 150,000 cases of 9 litres each per month and it has signed up for a comanufacturing deal with a state-of the art bottling unit. “We have so far managed to achieve 12,000- 12,800 Swigger cases in Goa with a footprint across retail stores and are now progressing to include more institutional selling,” Pranav informs.

The ready-to-drink shots have been launched with four mother spirits, namely, vodka, gin, imported agave from Mexico and cognac from France, with a plan to include two more mother spirits. “That should complete our portfolio of ‘Swigger-Ready-toChug Shots’ for the time being,” Arun asserts.

The response so far has been amazing, according to the Founders. And though RTD beverages often face criticism for their high sugar content, which can deter health-conscious consumers, Swigger claims to be a drink created out of a focused perspective, which is health. “We are a zero-sugar drink,” Arun says. This has been done consciously and has been a crucial factor in making the brand popular. “We have absolutely 100 percent natural flavours with 30 percent ABV in 60 ml double shots,” he adds.

Swigger’s Swag

• Swigger Vodka: Mandarin and lime 
• Swigger Vodka: Lychee and cinnamon 
• Swigger Gin: Elderflower and berries 
• Swigger Gin: Pink grapefruit and lime 
• Swigger Imported Agave: Kumquat 
• Swigger Cognac: Apple oak and ginger.

Evoking Corporate Interest 

Last year, Tilaknagar Industries invested Rs 1 crore for a 19.50 percent equity stake in Incredible Spirits, thus boosting the Founders’ ambitious target of scaling up operations.

Also, the duo acknowledges the support of Manpreet Uppal who has helped Swigger create its own niche in the market. However, Incredible Spirits is now in the process of finalising deals with new investors to fuel further growth and create a stronger footprint in both the domestic and international markets.

This growth plan includes launching 100 percent tequilabased ready-to-chug shots, which will create a new category of its own. All this optimism stems from the fact that the market for such shots is growing and holds tremendous potential.