Chhattisgarh-based makers of craft beer Simba and ZigZag vodka, Ishwaraj Singh Bhatia and his brother are growing in both alcobev segments. Founded in 2016, Simba Beer and ZigZag Vodka are flagship brands under Saltborn, a collective aiming to elevate premium consumer experiences. Saltborn was founded with a focus on craftsmanship, authenticity, and innovation. The portfolio’s first major entries into the industry, including Simba and ZigZag, have quickly built a reputation for refined taste and bold design, making a mark in the evolving alcobev space.
Simba Beer was launched in Chhattisgarh after the brothers completed their graduation in the UK. Inspired by several growing local brands, the brothers are building their growing manufacturing business and beverage brands.
Simba Beer is among India’s leading craft beers, known for its bold flavors and unconventional spirit. Ishwaraj Bhatia the COO and co-founder, in interaction with IndiFoodBev, explained the company’s products, its various experiments, and the trends it is witnessing now. The conversation also touched on the company’s ZigZag vodka, its unique design and the plans that the brothers have for both their products.
The company’s products are currently available in several states including Delhi, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Himachal, Punjab, Chattisgarh, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh. According to Bhatia, the company witnessed a 25% increase in sales in the past year. “Simba and Bira [a competition brand] started in the same year. That was a time when bottled craft brew culture started booming in India. Our products attracted increasing attention from the GenZ demographic who we consider our target audience.”
Simba beer is available as Simba Stout, Simba Strong, Simba Light, and Simba Wit. ZigZag vodka comes in original, lime, orange, and green apple flavors. Bhatia adds that craft beer is a market that has huge potential in India and that many craft brewers experiment with different flavors and blends.
The beers are available in glass bottles and cans with a sophisticated label design of a lion in a tuxedo and various shades with a single Pantone background.
On the packaging design, he said, “The times have changed – an accountant by day could be a DJ by night. Even the name ZigZag is a representation of the hustle that people go through in their daily lives. The bottle is designed to have a psychedelic effect which intrigues GenZ consumers,” he continues.
“One more thing I’ve seen is that the newer generation does not prefer the traditional brands their father or grandfather might have been accustomed to. Trendy bottles and eye-catching designs with a twist are what resonate among the new generation. We’ve paid a lot of attention to the design, to ensure that the products emanate the charm to be picked up off the shelves easily.”
On expansion, he notes that there are several new flavors and SKUs under R&D. “Given that our market share and acceptance among our target audience is expanding we will be launching more units soon,” he concludes.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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