Madhu Mandapam’s Stellar Debut

The debut edition of Madhu Mandapam at AAHAR 2025 marked a historic milestone in transforming alcobev into an experience at an international event. A stellar lineup of spirits and beer companies, coupled with visits from thousands of business professionals, HORECA experts, foreign dignitaries, and diplomats, elevated this first-of-its-kind event to a truly memorable level. Held from March 4-8, 2025, this pioneering initiative transformed Bharat Mandapam into a vibrant hub of tastings, industry insights, and mixology innovations. Organised in collaboration with FIFI, ICF, and HPMF and supported by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), Madhu Mandapam set new benchmarks for India’s evolving alcobev landscape. 

The magnitude of the event was highlighted by Lt. Col. Harsh Kondilya, OSD-Admin, ITPO, who remarked, “This fair has reached a level today where it is one of the leading B2B fairs in Asia. The name is taken along with all the leading food and beverages shows like Canton, Gulfood, and CIAL.” With over 1,700 participants, 22 international countries and 80 exhibitors, the event exceeded all expectations in terms of footfall and engagement.

Grand Opening

The event opened with grandeur, led by Nilesh Patel, Managing Director of Carlsberg Group, alongside key industry figures and Danish Ambassador to India, Rasmus Abildgaard Kristensen. The exhibition floor dazzled with an impressive lineup of domestic and international brands, including Diageo, Carlsberg, Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), Uppal Breweries & Distilleries (UBD), Alcobrew Distilleries, Mohan Meakin, Amrut Distilleries, India Glycols Ltd., and Rock and Storm Distilleries.

Sip, Swirl & Savour

Madhu Mandapam featured exclusive tasting sessions and masterclasses, drawing connoisseurs and industry experts alike. A standout event was the ‘Italy Meets India’ Wine Tasting Session, hosted by the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IICCI) and FIFI, which celebrated the deepening Indo-Italian trade ties in the beverage sector. Among the highlighted selections, Fishing Cat Wine, a premium Italian label, emerged as a crowd favourite.

Another major highlight was the Godawan Single Malt Masterclass, led by Akhilesh Sheoran, Brand Ambassador of Godawan. This session explored the Rajasthani heritage of Godawan Single Malt, which recently clinched the title of Best Single Malt at the 2024 London Spirits Competition.

Battle Of Bartenders

One of the most electrifying moments of the event was the Madhu Mandapam Cocktail Challenge, held on Day 4. Hosted by alcobev expert Sarang Kumar, the competition saw mixologists crafting innovative cocktails using brands like Golfer’s Shot Whisky, One More Vodka, Zumba Vodka, Jamun Gin, and Old Monk Coffee Rum. The judging panel, featuring renowned mixologists Kama KM, Kuldeep Chauhan aka K.D. from the Bar Academy of Doon, and Bishan Kumar, Editor-in-Chief of Spiritz Magazine, assessed the entries based on taste, balance, presentation, and innovation.

The competition ended with Sagar Khuntia emerging as the winner, bagging a cash prize of ₹30,000. First runner-up Shivangi Pandey received ₹20,000, while second runners-up Anand Thapa and Akhil Paliwal were awarded ₹10,000 each.

Cheers to Women

The final day saw a special DIY Cocktail Session, celebrating the rising influence of women professionals in mixology and the beverage sector. Female chefs, mixologists and connoisseurs took centre stage, trying their hands at crafting bold and artistic cocktails. 

The session was graced by industry veterans like Sanjeev Banga from Radico Khaitan and Chef Vivek Saggar, General Secretary of the Indian Culinary Forum, who applauded the growing presence of women in the industry.

A Platform for Future

Vinay Ratan Khare, Director of Rock & Storm Distilleries, said such platforms were quite useful for Alcobev companies. “We are thankful to ITPO for giving us such a good platform through which we can market our products.”

The event provided an excellent platform for new products, as it attracted market facilitators, social media influencers, distributors, exporters, importers, and embassy representatives. Ankur Sachdeva, Co-Founder & CEO of UBD, expressed similar excitement, stating, “Our brand (Soorahi) just entered the market two months ago, and the response we received here was phenomenal.”

Ashutosh Rajput, Chief Operating Officer, Alcobrew Distilleries highlighted the overwhelming response, noting, “Our experience here so far has been very good. We see a lot of interest coming in from both trade and consumers who have come in here.”

Harshita Birla, On-Premise Manager at ABD, also reflected on the enthusiastic crowd, mentioning that professionals from hotels, restaurants and clubs in Delhi, as well as states like Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, showed keen engagement. “We received queries for distillery, marketing, bottling, merchandising, and events. Interest from hotels, restaurants, and clubs has been overwhelming.”

Madhu Mandapam 2.0

With the immense success of Madhu Mandapam 2025, industry insiders are already gearing up for an even bigger and more interactive edition next year. Ankur shared his hopes, saying, “Hopefully, participation will double, and we’ll see even more engaging events. The administration has recognised the potential, and the response from consumers and exporters has been phenomenal.”

The sentiments were echoed by Rohan Ratan Khare, Product Head of Bad Monkey Beer. “It’s the first year and I think it can develop into something great in future. Just waiting for the second edition wherein we can have a greater number of brands and a bigger theme.”

According to Harshita, Madhu Mandapam’s reach extended far beyond Delhi-NCR, drawing international attention and establishing itself as a crucial networking platform for alcobev brands. “We hope for more structured networking opportunities and deeper engagement with international buyers.”

Ashutosh is of the opinion that such platforms bring the liquor industry into the limelight. “The liquor industry in India operates in the shadows right now. This is where we bring the industry into the limelight and I think we need to make it bigger and better as the time goes around.”