Bored Beverages plans to disrupt Indian alcobev market with their No Label Mead

Founded by Anant Gupta & Vinayak Malhotra, Bored Beverages is a non-conventional alcobeverage startup which manufactures Mead brand, No Label is planning to expand very strategically across India. Presently, No Label has operations in Delhi and Haryana in the northern region. In an interview with Bizz Buzz, Anant Gupta, Co-founder, Bored Beverages, explaining why he choose to name his brand as No Label, says, “The name ‘No Label’ reflects our values of embracing and accepting people for who they are, without categorizing them based on societal labels such as ethnicity, gender, sexuality, personality traits, race, or body type. We celebrate individuality and advocate for equal respect and opportunities for all, recognizing that labels are better suited for bottles than for people”

Can you describe the No Label brand and can you give the rationale behind the brand name and the company name?

No Label is a distinctive alcoholic beverage that blends traditional and unconventional ingredients, appealing to a younger Indian demographic. Our brand aims to provide an enjoyable and flavourful drinking experience for Indian consumers, at a friendly price point. The name ‘No Label’ reflects our values of embracing and accepting people for who they are, without categorizing them based on societal labels such as ethnicity, gender, sexuality, personality traits, race, or body type. We celebrate individuality and advocate for equal respect and opportunities for all, recognizing that labels are better suited for bottles than for people.

How is No Label aiming to penetrate the Indian craft alcoholic beverages market?

No Label Mead has gained traction among consumers seeking a smooth and delightful drinking experience especially those starting off their drinking journey and looking for a non-bitter drinking experience. Its increasing popularity can be attributed to its pop culture references in shows like Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, which pique the curiosity of adventurous drinkers. The light flavour profile of No Label Mead makes it a hit among consumers as it is gentle on the palate and does not leave a heavy feeling in the body. Additionally, Mead is one of the few options in the low-alcohol carbonated beverage category that is gluten-free and glycerin-free, further enhancing its appeal. Mead is also gaining attention from those interested in the alcobev industry as it offers a unique value proposition with its variable alcohol content and year-round production, as honey, its main ingredient, has an indefinite shelf life when stored correctly.

How has the company evolved since inception?

From test batches in our homes to having reached over 1 lakh consumers in our first six months of operations, has been an amazing milestone for the team. We’ve focused on distribution and making the product available across the target market. We’re presently available across 350 outlets across the on-premise and off premise channel in Delhi and Haryana and the number is only growing each day. We have now started to get great organic demand from trade partners because of the acceptance of the product and category and love for the flavour making consumer’s alcohol journey non-bitter and more flavourful. We’ve curated experiences including No Label bar hop, introducing mead cocktails and Mead Pongs at our artist nights for our consumers in collaboration with our trade partners and that’s just levelled up the recall and love for the brand.

How is No Label an Indian brand celebrating the spirit of craft and the land of rich botanicals?

As a homegrown brand, we are continuously experimenting with ingredients and flavours that haven’t been done before. We constantly try to innovate and bring something new and unique with a favour first non bitter drink keeping the Indian consumers demands and preferences in mind. That’s what we believe is keeping the spirit of craft alive!

What are the future expansion goals?

Our geographical expansion plan begins with Maharashtra in the west. This expansion is carefully planned, taking into account the unique demands and preferences of our target audience in each region. In the upcoming quarters, we will introduce a diverse range of flavours, including No Label Passion Fruit, No Label Lemon and Lime and of course our signature No Label Original Mead. Our customer-centric approach prioritizes availability, visibility, and accessibility to ensure that our brand is easily accessible to our customers.

Which States are you present in? And do you plan to go pan India?

We definitely plan to expand very strategically across the country. Currently, No Label has operations in Delhi and Haryana in the northern region. Our products are distributed across these two States, where we have established our presence in over 400 outlets, including well-known establishments like Social, Beer Café, One8 Commune, and Whiskey Samba in Delhi and Gurgaon. Through our distribution-first approach, we have already achieved coverage in 80 per cent of our targeted retail outlets. Looking ahead, our focus for the next fiscal year is on further strengthening our presence and expanding to newer cities, to bring No Label to a wider audience.

Do you plan to look at export opportunities?

Yes. With the love and acceptance that No Label has received in India, we are looking at opportunities to take it outside the country as well. We shall continue to establish our current markets and will look at expanding beyond country boundaries next fiscal year.

What are the major differentiators for No Label that makes it stand out from the industry?

No Label has ventured into a unique category ‘Mead’, within the alcohol market. We stand apart with our flavour first - gluten free meads. While the market has historically been dominated by dark spirits and beer, we have taken a different approach with No Label offering a non-bitter drinking experience, creating something very unique with a young and fun brand identity. Within this category, our product stands out as a light and refreshing option with comfortable tropical flavours. Our product range and brand ideology resonate with millennials and GenZ, setting us apart in this traditional industry.

What are the challenges faced by you while establishing the brand?

One major challenge is consumer awareness about the category. We are trying to build a new category and product which has made us focus directly on the new-age consumer, who is looking for an altogether new drink. A consultant and a lawyer entering the alcobev industry, purely for the love of alcohol, one can only image the challenges we faced.

First was when we took the idea to industry folks. We were told that it is a capital-intensive industry and it will not be possible for us to make Bored Beverages possible without big pockets. However, we decided to go ahead and the No Label you see on shelves across cities in India was made by us in house after multiple rounds of experiments with the recipe.

Second was the category itself. Mead is so new even to the authorities that it caused delays in getting approvals and launching the product.

Third were regulatory challenges – the level of intricacies and fine documentation required in the business took some time for us to get a hang of. The dynamic regulatory policy in Delhi brought many difficulties for a new brand like ours. The complete overhaul to change the distribution structure across the city caused uncertainty, delay in launch of the product and of course a drastic change in strategy.

However, it’s been an amazing journey and we’ve overcome these challenges by bringing on our board advisors and mentors who have helped us understand and navigate the regulatory landscape efficiently.

What are your financial projections for the company?

With an expansion in our portfolio, including new flavours, this financial year we’ve set to achieve a Rs 5 crore revenue with a 32,000 cases target across Delhi and Haryana.