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Jamun flavour drives India's vodka and gin boom as Diageo, Radico bet on localised premiumization
Our read
Localised flavours like jamun are outpacing plain spirits (+16% vs +10%), so prioritize SKU development, shelf placement, and on-trade activation for Indian-flavoured vodka and gin in Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa.
Watch
Second flavoured SKU crossing ₹100 cr (validates category vs one-hit)
The report,
Indian spirits makers including Diageo, Radico Khaitan, Inbrew and craft labels are launching jamun-flavoured vodka and gin, driving flavoured vodka growth (+16%). Smirnoff Minty Jamun crossed ₹100 crore, becoming a premiumization and localization growth lever.
Reported figures
From the report. Source details below
| 16 million cases vodka | 2025 |
|---|
Also in the report
- 10 million flavoured cases
- 48,000 bottles Spaceman gin
Other figures
- plain vodka +10%
Why it matters for the brand
Craft challengers like Spaceman leaning on local-flavour differentiation signal early M&A or partnership targets to lock in premiumization capabilities before the category consolidates.
What to track next
- Flavoured growth rate holding above +16% in next quarterly print
- State excise or FSSAI clarifications on flavour/additive labelling
- Entry of imported brands with localised flavours (Absolut, Bombay Sapphire variants)
- RTD/canned flavoured extensions signalling format expansion
- Repeat-purchase vs trial data emerging post-6-month launches
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Diageo extends Smirnoff Jamun into gin and RTD/canned formats to defend the ₹100 cr franchise
- Radico and Pernod fast-track their own indigenous-flavour SKUs targeting Q3-Q4 launches
- Craft challengers (Spaceman) lean into limited-edition regional botanicals and on-premise Goa/Mumbai activations
- Retailers negotiate premium shelf placement and bartender/mixologist seeding programs
- FMCG flavour-house suppliers scale jamun and adjacent Indian-fruit sourcing
The counter-case
The case against this reading — not reported by the source.
The +16% vs +10% growth gap is off a tiny flavoured base; a niche category outgrowing a mature one is arithmetically trivial and says nothing about durable share. Jamun is a seasonal, novelty-driven flavour that risks being a fad—flavoured spirits globally have high launch-then-fade churn. ₹100 crore for Smirnoff Minty Jamun is a single SKU vanity metric, not proven repeat purchase or margin accretion. 'Localised premiumization' is a marketing narrative; a flavoured mass-vodka is more likely trading down/masking cheap base spirit than commanding true premium pricing.
The source
First seen