December E-Magazine

As we step into the final month of the year, it’s clear that 2025 has reshaped India’s alcoholic beverages landscape in decisive ways. Among other milestones, the final quarter of the year also saw an unusually high number of product launches, driven by rising consumer sophistication, expanding premium consumption and the widening footprint of homegrown companies in domestic and international markets.

A major storyline was the strengthening relationship between alcobev players and the hospitality sector. Our cover story explores one of the most compelling trends in Indian hospitality: the rapid rise of tier-II and III cities as hubs for premium hotel development. Nearly half of all hotel deals in 2024 emerged outside metros, and 75 percent of the 42,000 newly signed branded rooms are located in these emerging markets. This wave of “trickle-down luxury” is reshaping demand and presenting new, high-value opportunities for alcobev companies.

Additionally, do read the thoughts of industry veteran Vijay K. Rekhi, whose journey mirrors the remarkable evolution of India’s alcobev ecosystem.

As we bid farewell to 2025, the year leaves us with a renewed belief in what coordinated effort, policy momentum and industry ambition can achieve.