Alco

Alco-bev startup Marmalade has raised Rs 6 crore in a seed funding round from a clutch of investors such as Ashok Chokalingam, Robert Sellares, Ishank Gupta,; and HomeLane founders Srikanth Iyer and Tanuj Choudhry.

The proceeds will be deployed towards distribution expansion, brand-building initiatives, and strengthening sales and operations capabilities, Marmalade said in a press release.

Co-founded in 2025 by Udit Mediratta and Surojit Bhattacharya, Marmalade is a new-age drinks company building spirits for the next generation of Indian consumers. The company creates easy-drinking, flavour-forward alcoholic beverages and makes drinking more enjoyable, approachable and relevant for today’s consumers.

Marmalade’s flagship brand, Brightside, is an Indian craft whiskey developed in partnership with Amrut Distilleries and master blender Ashok Chokalingam, and it is designed to redefine how a new generation discovers and experiences whiskey through a distinctive product, bold branding and category-first innovations.

The Delhi-based startup plans to expand into Mumbai and broader Maharashtra. The brand claims that it is already on track to reach Rs 5 crore in annualised revenue run rate in Sep. 2026 and targeting Rs 15 crore ARR by Dec. this year, marking 3x growth in under four months across just two cities.

According to Marmalade, Brightside Craft Whiskey combines fine malts and grain spirits with a distinctive blend of botanicals, creating a smoother, more approachable experience without the harsh burn, bitterness and strong aftertaste. Brightside also uses packaging innovation to make the drinking experience more engaging.

The whiskey segment is at Rs 1,750 for a 750ml bottle in Maharashtra, Brightside aims to occupy a whitespace in the market between Rs 1,500–Rs 2,200 where there are limited good offerings.

India’s alcobev startups are experimenting with craft whisky, gin, agave spirits and liqueurs while placing greater emphasis on contemporary branding, smoother profiles, locally sourced ingredients and premium-but-approachable pricing.

Recently, Feline Spirits raised Rs 5.2 crore in a pre-Series A round led by Inflection Point Ventures last year, Raincheck Earth Co., maker of Cherrapunji Craft Gin, raised $1.2 million from Japanese investors and AngelList India Syndicate to scale its craft-gin business; Nuvola Spirits, which makes Mikiamo Limoncello, secured Rs 1.57 crore in pre-Series A funding.