Where Excellence Meets Judgement

Few occasions in the alcobev and hospitality calendar are as momentous as the jury deliberations for the Spiritz Achievers’ Awards. What looks like a single evening of decision-making is in reality the culmination of months of observation, analysis and spirited debate. The 2025 jury meet, held on September 4 at The Radisson Hotel, Gurugram, proved no exception.

Tasked with identifying this year’s winners, the jury confronted categories spanning individual brilliance, corporate leadership, breakthrough product launches and standout performances across hospitality, travel retail and alcoholic beverages. Each demanded a sophisticated grasp of trends, consumer behaviour and operational excellence.

Minds at the Table

The alcobev jury gathered some of the sharpest minds in the trade. At its helm was Shobhan Roy, Director General, AIBA, bringing policy insight and regulatory perspective. Alongside him sat Pradeep Gidwani, serial entrepreneur and industry leader, and V. Ramesh Mani, a veteran whose institutional memory gave depth to the comparisons between today’s innovations and legacy benchmarks.

Rigour came from Aparna Batra, Business Transformation Leader in luxury retail, F&B and fashion, and Gaurav Joshi, Founder & CEO of Platinum Liquid. Legal nuance was provided by Rajnish Singh, Founder of Dhvaen Law Practice, while the operational and experiential front were voiced by Manmeet Kaur and Sandy Verma (Founder & CEO, Institute of Bar Operations & Management), Kama KM (Founder, The Drinking Safari), and Chef Vaibhav Bhargava, Director of ABV Hospitality assessed product, presentation and palate.

Hospitality leaders Saumitra Chaturvedi (Novotel New Delhi City Centre) and Anuj Soin (Radisson Blu New Delhi Paschim Vihar) added frontline perspectives about consumer response, while Bishan Kumar, Editorin-Chief of Spiritz Magazine, lent a critical editorial eye.

The hospitality jury mirrored this diversity and rigour. Dilip Puri, Founder & Executive Chairman of the Indian School of Hospitality, framed standards of training and professionalism. He was joined by Satpal Chaudhary (COO, Khoday India Ltd.), Rifaquat Ali Khan Mirza (Founder & CEO, Lush Vitality), who provided strategic insight and Prarrthona Pal Chowdhury, Head Regulatory Affairs, Moët Hennessy India. Sourish Bhattacharya, renowned food and wine writer, kept the quality bar uncompromisingly high. Repeat contributors, Chef Vaibhav, Kama, Sandy and Bishan Kumar, ensured consistency in cross-category deliberations.

The Categories That Shaped Debate

Some verdicts demanded forensic scrutiny. The Ambassador of the Industry award sought a spokesperson and advocate whose contributions elevated the sector’s global stature. Bar Raiser of the Year spotlighted categorydefining breakthroughs, while Start up of the Year triggered passionate debate over vision versus traction.

Product Debut of the Year showcased launches that shifted consumer behaviour and redefined category benchmarks, while brandfocused categories such as Fastest Growing Brand and Brand Promotion of the Year combined data with creativity to reward both impact and imagination.

Categories for Importer, Retailer and Distributor of the Year evaluated market reach, service quality and logistics strength. Others such as CSR Efforts of the Year highlighted sustainability and social impact, while Leader of the Year, Company of the Year and Lifetime Achievement honoured visionaries and institutions leaving a lasting imprint.

Hospitality awards were no less competitive. Bartender and Sommelier of the Year celebrated service mastery, while Bar of the Year and Chef of the Year recognised innovation and guest delight. Leadership categories for F&B Operations and GMs spotlighted those raising standards across service delivery.

In travel retail, Biggest Supplier, Exclusive Launch and Travel Retailer of the Year rewarded innovation, exclusivity and reach in a fiercely competitive space.

The Process of Judgement

Every nomination was dissected against a category-specific matrix. Jurors first scored independently, then engaged in robust discussions where divergences appeared. Veterans weighed claims of originality against long memories of industry milestones, while younger experts pressed for digital-driven momentum and new consumer narratives.

Once debate concluded, scores were digitally recorded to eliminate error, ensuring fairness and transparency.

As the jury dispersed after hours of disciplined exchange, one truth stood out: the future of alcobev, hospitality and travel retail will be shaped by those who can balance innovation with integrity, boldness with discipline, and storytelling with substance.

The Spiritz Achievers’ Awards remain more than an annual recognition; they are a beacon of standards, celebrating people and brands that continue to redefine what excellence means in this dynamic industry.