Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Maharaja Drinks celebrates six Indian women breaking boundaries in UK drinks market

Six Indian women breaking boundaries in UK drinks market

Six Indian women breaking boundaries in UK drinks market

Maharaja Drinks

Maharaja Drinks is celebrating International Women's Day by acknowledging six incredibly talented Indian women in the wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic drinks industry who are paving the way for Indian craft drinks in the UK drinks market.

The spirits and wine industry has traditionally been male-dominated. However, in recent years there has been a flurry of women-led drinks businesses and enterprises pioneering new, emerging global female talent. Maharaja Drinks would like to introduce six of these fearless women.


Sophia Longhi, Maharaja Drinks Wine Guru said, "The wine industry has had something of a refresh lately, with more and more women breathing new energy into all areas of the sector, including winemaking and wine communication.

"The majority of wine sold in the UK is bought by women, so it's only going to be good for business to have more women making wine, selling wine and talking about wine.

"At Maharaja Drinks, we work with some amazing female-led wine suppliers, who bring their expert viewpoint to our table. As well as championing women in wine, I also get to champion an emerging wine region, India, which makes my work here doubly exciting. If one thing's for sure, wine is an industry that never stands still - which is why I love it."

Vidita Mungi from Rhythm Winery

Vidita Mungi is one of the few women in the largely male-dominated world of wine production.

Rhythm Winery is a fruit wine business owned and run by Vidita, who is bold and brave when it comes to challenging the traditionalists. The winery capitalises on the diverse climate and soil conditions in India to source fruits from various regions.

From the lush orchards of Maharashtra to the vibrant fields of Karnataka and the sun-kissed plantations of Gujarat, each fruit is carefully procured, ensuring exceptional quality and distinct flavours.

Kiran Patil from Reveilo

Kiran Patil and her husband transformed their 100-year-old ancestral farm in Nashik into the vineyard of Reveilo Wines.

With state-of-the-art technology from Italy and grapes grown in India since the early 2000s, Reveilo blends art and science to craft wines that are 100% vegan – they are the first winery in India to produce a barrel-fermented Chardonnay. Kiran places a huge focus on building and growing the brand geographically with consistency and persistence.

Kasturi Banerjee from Maka Zai Rum

From banker to bartender, Kasturi Banerjee is the founder of Stilldistilling Spirits, the company that produces Maka Zai rum. Banerjee was a banker for almost 18 years before taking a bartending course and starting Stilldistilling Spirits in 2020.

Maka Zai is a homegrown white rum made with sugarcane harvested from the banks of the Panchganga River in Maharashtra, and a gold rum with cane spirit from Punjab.

Varna Bhat from Rahasya Vodka

They describe themselves as 'India in a bottle' and are one of the few female-founded spirits brands in the country. Founder Varna Bhat made it her mission to create a truly pan-Indian spirit, offering drinkers a distinctly desi taste without leaning on the typical association with masalas.

What she and the team have landed on with Rahasya is an Indian vodka, made using local ingredients (such as corn and wheat grains from Punjab) and infused with the mysteries of India to deliver world-class flavour.

Husna-Tara from Glenburn Teas

Looked after by Husna-Tara of the Prakash family (who have been involved for four generations), the tea bushes at Glenburn are embraced by the majestic peaks of Mount Kanchenjunga.

Their focus on local employment means that 350 women from 8 local villages are in charge of plucking fresh leaves each day, which are turned into Darjeeling teas that are fragrant and fulfilling.

Muskan Khanna from Tea N Teas

Brought to life by a team of female tea experts spanning three continents, Tea N Teas is based in Coonoor, nestled in the Nilgiri Mountain range. Muskan Khanna is at the helm of this innovative concept.

The all-female enterprise uses real innovation in small-batch production, employing modern Chinese machinery and Muskan’s enterprising nature to create distinctive teas.

Maharaja Drinks offers over 20 high-quality wines, a range of fruity or malty Indian beers and over 25 Indian crafted spirits and non-alcoholic drinks.

The specialist retailer encourages organic certification, sustainable production methods and environmentally aware manufacturing, packaging and transport from its suppliers. All drinks are shipped throughout the UK mainland.

“When we started the Maharaja Drinks journey, we knew from the beginning we wanted to work with suppliers that not only represent our values but are also progressive thinkers and pioneers in Indian craft drinks, so many of these people are women.” said Ipe Jacob, co- founder of Maharaja Drinks.

“The alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks industry has been dominated by men for some time but this is all changing. We believe now is the time for a new wave of global female talent and we are proud to champion these six amazing brands in the UK drinks market”

More for you

CÎROC Colada RTD launch in the UK

CÎROC Coconut Vodka for tropical cocktails

Taste the tropics with new Cîroc Colada Sparkling Vodka RTD and Cîroc Coconut 70cl

CÎROC, the largest Super-Premium Vodka range in impulse, and the third largest Super-Premium Vodka brand in the total off-trade , has unveiled a brand-new flavour: CÎROC Colada RTD. A sparkling mixed drink, with CÎROC Vodka, pineapple and coconut flavours mixed with lemonade, is now available in a 250ml ready-to-drink can.

With "tropical" the second most popular flavour profile in Super-Premium Vodka, CÎROC will offer shoppers convenient luxury in an accessible format this summer with this latest launch.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jack Daniel's and Coca-Cola Cherry RTD with a purple stripe and "Cherry" label.

A new fruity twist, launching in the UK this April!

Jack Daniel's & Coca-Cola unveils first-ever flavoured variant

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) has announced the arrival of Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola Cherry in GB – the first-ever flavoured innovation in the iconic Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola Ready To Drink (RTD) range.

Rolling out nationwide from April, the new variant gives the classic Jack Daniel’s & Coca-Cola blend a fruity cherry twist, offering a fresh and exciting taste that brings together two of the world’s most iconic brands in an entirely new way.

Keep ReadingShow less
Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025

Paddy Power partners Dhillon's Brewery!

The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 will bring sports fans from across the globe to the West Midlands this month – and attendees will now be able to enjoy the World Cup’s official beer, as well as a specially curated menu of food and drink for the duration of the competition. Produced in partnership with Coventry based brewery Dhillon’s, Raider has been created especially for the competition, presented in bespoke cans that will satisfy lager lovers and sports fans alike.

“Bringing this international competition to the UK for the first time means that we want to give guests an authentic British experience – and what better place to start, than by launching the World Cup’s own official beer, brewed right in the heart of the West Midlands," said Prem Singh, Chief Executive of the British Kabaddi League.

Located in Coventry, Dhillon's Brewery is an award-winning microbrewery with a rich and dynamic story. The brewery was founded in 2015 by Dal Dhillon, who chased his dream of brewing beautifully crafted beer at the heart of the Midlands. The Brewery sits adjacent to the CBS Arena, one of the tournament’s venues, and from that base they produce exciting and well-crafted ales using a mix of traditional and modern brewing methods. The beer itself, Raider, is a Pilsner Lager; classic and refreshing with malty sweetness coupled with a crisp cool finish – and it’s 100 per cent Vegan.

Dal Dhillon said of the announcement: "We're thrilled to be partnering with the Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 and to be brewing the official beer for the event, which we're welcoming in the UK for the first time! As a home-grown business with deep roots in the community, supporting local initiatives has always been one of our core values. We're delighted to be uniting Coventry with the World Cup, to celebrate the rich cultural background both the city and the event have to offer.

The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 is hosted as a joint venture between World Kabaddi, England Kabaddi Association, the British Kabaddi League, West Midlands Combined Authority, the four hosting local authorities of Wolverhampton, Coventry, Birmingham and Walsall and the University of Wolverhampton. The championship will take place in venues across the region between 17th and 23rd March. The tournament is supported by £500,000 of funding support from the UK Government’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Enhancement Fund and by the championship’s title sponsor Paddy Power. The World Cup will also work with charity partner, Sporting Equals, to accelerate the charity’s goal of promoting community cohesion and eradicate racism in sport.

The Paddy Power Kabaddi World Cup 2025 official beer is now available to pre-order. The beer will also be available to VIP hospitality guests for the duration of the championships. Pre-order yours now at dhillonsbrewery.com/shop.

Magnum Tonic Wine standardises labels for UK and Jamaica

Magnum Tonic Wine updates its packaging with a unified label design for the UK and Jamaica

Magnum Tonic Wine standardises labels for UK and Jamaica

Magnum Tonic Wine has unveiled a unified label design across the UK this week, with Jamaica closely behind in April, reinforcing its authenticity as a product of Jamaica and ensuring a consistent consumer experience.

While Magnum Tonic Wine has always delivered the same liquid across both markets, the packaging update standardises the brand’s identity, addressing any consumer misconceptions about product differences.

Keep ReadingShow less