As Consumer Tastes Change, New Cocktail Formats Find Their Place

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RTB Consumer Brands Private Limited, the company behind Pour’d Cocktails, has won two honours at the Spiritz Achievers’ Awards 2026. It was named Alcobev Startup of the Year, and it won Product Launch of the Year for Pour’d Picante and Mojito. Winners in the Excellence Awards categories were chosen through a blind tasting followed by jury deliberation.

 

On stage Founders of Pour’d Cocktails (RTB Consumer Brands) accepting the honour

 

The recognition reflects a wider shift in India’s alcobev industry. A growing number of homegrown startups are challenging a market long dominated by established brands and conventional formats. They are introducing new products built around how younger, urban consumers actually socialise. Ready-to-serve cocktails are one of the clearest examples. IWSR projects that India’s ready-to-drink segment will grow at a compound annual rate of about 6% through 2034, ahead of several traditional beverage alcohol categories (Beverage Daily, September 2026).

 

Consumer tastes are also moving. Flavoured spirits, botanical gins and cocktail-led drinking have gained ground as Indian drinkers explore beyond straight pours and familiar mixers. Many are looking for variety, discovery and experiences they once found only at bars. Until recently, cocktails meant going out or mixing drinks at home. Ready-to-serve formats offer a third option: a pre-mixed, bottled cocktail, ready to pour over ice or top up with soda, cola or water. Several international and domestic brands have entered the space over the past year. Analysts, including Euromonitor, note that state-level taxation and regulation still limit how quickly the category can scale.

 

“Indian drinkers today are more curious and more experimental than ever. You can see it in the rise of flavoured spirits and in how quickly cocktail culture has grown beyond bars,” said Sahith Sethuraman, Co-founder, RTB Consumer Brands. “We build all our cocktails to taste the way they would at a good bar, every single time, and winning a blind tasting tells us that consistency comes through in the glass. It’s also encouraging to see Indian startups being recognised for bringing new formats to a category that hasn’t changed much in decades. There’s a lot of room to grow from here.”

 

Recently founded, Pour’d set out to make bar-style cocktails available beyond bars and restaurants. Its range removes the preparation involved in making cocktails at home while keeping the character of classic recipes.

 

About Pour’d

Pour’d is a ready-to-drink cocktail brand from RTB Consumer Brands Private Limited that brings bar-quality cocktails home. Three friends who share a love of great cocktails and good company founded it. The brand makes full-strength, balanced bottled cocktails with premium spirits, built on quality, consistency and convenience.

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Ravindra Kirti Founder GGF
Ravindra Kirti is a well-rounded Marketing professional with an impressive academic and professional portfolio. He is IIM Calcutta alumnus & holds a PhD in Commerce, having written an insightful thesis on consumer behavior and psychology, which informs his deep understanding of market dynamics and client engagement strategies. His academic journey includes an MBA in Marketing, where he specialized in strategic management, international marketing, and luxury retail management, equipping him with a global perspective and a strategic edge in high-end market segments. In addition to his business expertise, Ravindra is also academically trained in law, holding a Master’s in Law with specializations in law of patents, IT & IPR, police law and administration, white-collar crime, and corporate crime. This legal knowledge complements his role as the Chief at Jurislaw Partners, where he applies a blend of legal acumen and strategic marketing. With such a rich educational background, Ravindra excels across a range of fields, from legal marketing to luxury retail, and event design. His ability to interlace disciplines—commerce, marketing, and law—enables him to drive successful outcomes in every venture he undertakes, whether as Chief at Jurislaw Partners, Editor at Mojo Patrakar and Global Growth Forum, Founder of CircusINC, or Chief Designer at Byaah by CircusINC. On a personal note, Ravindra Kirti is not only a devoted pawrent to his pet, Kattappa, but also an enthusiast of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and holds a Taekwondo Dan 1. This active lifestyle complements his multifaceted career, reflecting his discipline, resilience, and commitment—qualities he brings into his professional relationships. His bond with Kattappa adds a warm, grounded side to his profile, showcasing his nurturing and compassionate nature, which shines through in his connections with clients and colleagues. Ravindra’s career exemplifies versatility, intellectual depth, and excellence. Whether through his contributions to media, law, events, or design, he remains a dynamic and influential presence, continually innovating and leaving a lasting impact across industries. His ability to balance these diverse roles is a testament to his strategic vision and dedication to making a difference in every field he enters.