Barneys is India’s first hard seltzer that is aiming to clock a topline of $150M by 2024. The intriguing part is that it was started by 2 teetotallers

The Genesis

The story of how Barneys was incepted is truly exhilarating. India, as a country has an insatiable appetite for anything alcoholic and the same, was evident during the lockdown when the masses would stand in long queues to grab a bottle of their choice. However, the alcohol industry in India is highly regulated and super arduous to enter. But this is a huge market and the opportunities it curtails is immense.

Ruchi Gupta & Gaurav Sharma are good friends and hail from distinct professional backgrounds. Perhaps, during a brief trip abroad they were hunting for a moderately alcoholic beverage and discovered a variety of ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages that would appeal to those looking for something other than beer, wine, or a cocktail.

This is when the idea of introducing a seltzer to the Indian market struck them. Thus, was born Barneys.

What is Barneys all about & what’s up with
its name?

Barneys is a herald brand in the alco-Bev & seltzer industry in India and aspires to bring a seismic shift with its refreshing offerings. In essence, Barney’s hard seltzer is sparkling water with flavour and tipsiness, plus an additional edge of zero-calorie.

In a literal sense Barneys is ‘Tipsy Water’ that blotches its position in between a cocktail or a beer/wine, and in the process, breaks the supremacy of the sole player—Bacardi Breezer.

The drink's name is based on the creators' favourite character, 'Barney,' from the iconic US television show 'How I Met Your Mother.'

Barneys sounds all cool, but why should
Do you pick a can?

It’s simple, all the drinks by Barneys were born out of the love of fermentation, out of the universe thoughts and most importantly flavours.

Confused? Let’s break it all down, All the hard seltzers by Barney’s is a perfect blend that is not too fizzy, and not too sweet. In fact, it’s just perfect. At its 6% ABV, it’s the day drinkers best friend.

Each flavour from Barney’s den is crafted precisely with premium elements to give a 7- star experience. Its flavour offerings are carefully weaved around the notion of utmost dazzling food pairing.

Since its launch in Goa in January’22, Barneys has garnered immediate attention. Barneys has lined up three more flavours for the near future, in addition to the three that are now available.

If you were an astronaut and would peak from above the galaxy, Barney’s earthy flavours could be seen as:
? Green Apple & Jasmine
? Apple & Rose
? Strawberry & Blueberry
? Mojito & Rosemary
? Strawberry, Peach & Orange
? Lemon Grass, Grapefruit & Apple

For the first time, the target audience is segmented neither by gender nor by age. It's a simple drink for anyone over the age of 21, bringing generations together.

A sneap peeks into Barney's performance:

YTD they have sold an upward of 1K + cases (Each case contains 24 cans) in 2-3 distinct states. They also plan to sell at least 50K cases in the coming few months and have a sturdy presence in both the North and South of India.

It has received inquiries from more than ten states, and it now intends to aggressively grow. Other countries have taken notice of the brand and you might very soon find a Barneys in-store abroad.

Barneys & its future endeavour

It plans to clock a topline of $150 million by 2024 & grow its sales staff, form commercial alliances, and leverage technology to manage operations. They're also looking for a $10 million fundraising round to expand significantly in larger states.

Ruchi & Gaurav envision Barney’s to be a youth and lifestyle brand. Next time you’re in Goa, by the beach or somewhere in the north of the Himalayas, freezing in the snow, just look around and you might find your best buddy #Barney’s.

A word from the founder

“When we started, people did not even know about the category, but the awareness is slowly increasing owing to the speculated entry of big brands in the Indian region. This will be an overall win-win for the hard seltzer industry rather than a threat to a smaller brand like ours as we will be able to save on our marketing spend to educate people about the category”