In a bold and unconventional move, Lahori Zeera, the popular Indian beverage brand, chose to associate with a family comedy show on Sony Television instead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for its marketing campaign. Nikhil Doda, COO and Co-Founder of Lahori Zeera, shared the strategic reasoning behind this decision in a recent interview.
“We always wanted to position ourselves as a fun and joyous brand, positioning ourselves as a fun, “Masaledaar” drink,” Nikhil explained. “IPL, while immensely popular, is more aligned with sports and energy drinks. Our product, on the other hand, fits perfectly with the lively and humorous vibe of a comedy show.” By sponsoring a comedy show, Lahori Zeera aimed to reach a broader, more diverse audience that resonates with the brand’s identity as a fun and masaledaar drink.
This strategy has proven to be more effective for the brand, helping people relate to the product in a more meaningful way.
Reflecting on the past few months, Nikhil highlighted a period of significant growth and new product launches for Lahori Zeera. “We have been continuously expanding our base, distributor network, and team,” he noted. The company, which initially focused on North India, has now extended its reach to over 15 states, with a robust increase in its distributor base from 1,000 to over 1,600, which implies 60-70% increase in DB count.
The company’s financial performance has also been impressive. Last year, the brand closed at INR 315 crores in net revenue and almost INR 500 crores in gross revenue. This year in April, the brand clocked INR 60 crores in net revenue. “With the new plants fully operational, Lahori Zeera is targeting a 100% growth, aiming for INR 600 crores in net revenue and INR 800 crores in gross revenue this year. The peak summer months alone are expected to contribute INR 200 crores in net revenue,” Nikhil stated.
Recognizing the importance of logistics in the beverage industry, Lahori Zeera strategically expanded its manufacturing capabilities. ” You can’t produce beverages in a single location and distribute them nationwide without incurring significant logistics costs. So, last year, we set up a plant in Vapi to serve the western part of the country,” Nikhil explained.
This plant also seeds the eastern markets, including Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha. Plans are underway for a third unit in Lucknow, which is expected to operationalize next year, further strengthening their supply chain.
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“The strategy is to use the Vapi plant to establish our presence in the East, so by the time the Lucknow plant becomes operational next year, the market will already be mature and ready for expansion. This phased approach ensures that we can efficiently scale up and meet the demand across different regions,” he said.
With this, the brand is also working on new products, as innovation remains at the core of Lahori Zeera’s strategy. Recently, the company introduced two new flavors: Masala Cola and Minty Lemon. “These distinct flavours are aimed at catering to the Indian taste and are expected to contribute substantially to our revenues,” Nikhil said. These products, along with traditional favorites like Aampanna and Shikanji, resonate well across different regions of India.
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The brand SKUs has expanded from offering a single product last year to around seven flavors. The newly launched products are also been well received nationwide. These flavors are made from ethnic Indian condiments commonly found in Indian kitchens and households, making them familiar and beloved.
Despite the growing popularity of energy drinks, Lahori Zeera remains committed to its core identity. “Lahori as a brand will only do ethnic Indian drinks,” Nikhil emphasized. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of entering the energy drink market in the future, though it would be under a different brand name.
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