The emerging symbol of change in India – watch out for Tonique

From the family coal mines to creating India’s largest and classiest liquor boutique, Anith Reddy (pictured below) and his new Tonique boutique liquor stores are a symbol of modern India with special attraction to middle class millennials.

Reddy has just opened his second store – Asia’s largest liquor boutique – in Bengaluru after earlier success in Hyderabad.

He has a store in Mumbai in mind but like the modern Indian entrepreneur, his ambitions are beyond India – he wants to open Tonique in New York.

At 30,000 sq. ft, spread over two floors, Tonique is certainly large. Unlike other liquor supermarkets in Bengaluru, like Madhuloka, Drops Total Spirits and House of Spirits, it is stylishly appointed, with hardwood floors, aroma oil diffusers and subtle mood lighting. “We want to be the Louis Vuitton of the liquor industry,” says Tonique’s founder, Hyderabad-based entrepreneur Anith Reddy.

Reddy, 43, (pictured below) believes buying liquor should be an experience – millennials value “experience” way above possessions and status, so he is on target.

In the store, buyers can interact with sommeliers and brewmasters. The store’s top floor, entirely dedicated to wine (1,000 different labels, including champagne), also houses a 600 sq. ft wine-tasting room that will host events, a bakery that will serve fresh liqueur chocolates and other delicacies, and a cheese section.

Bengaluru is a smart choice – the city’s social life and drinking habits set it apart from the rest of the cities in India. Bangalore has also been a favourite amongst many international brands.

And social behaviour is changing – now 60% of the visitors to Tonique are women, compared to an expectation of around 30%.

Apart from purchasing wine bottles to stock up your wine collection, you can also drink your wine in-store.

The consumer power of India’s millennials is just beginning to have impact and stores like Tonique are moving with this generation. There are 450 million millennials in India and those with money to spend are looking for that special brand. Tonique is showing the way!

Author: Stephen Manallack

Former President, Australia India Business Council, Victoria and Author, You Can Communicate; Riding the Elephant; Soft Skills for a Flat World (published by Tata McGraw-Hill INDIA); Communicating Your Personal Brand. Director, EastWest Academy Pty Ltd and Trainer/Speaker/Mentor in Leadership, Communication and Cross Cultural Communication. Passionate campaigner for closer western relations with India. Stephen Manallack is a specialist on “Doing Business with India” and advisor/trainer on “Cross-Cultural Understanding”. He is a Director of EastWest Academy Pty Ltd which provides strategic advice and counsel regarding business relations with India. A regular speaker in India on leadership and global communication, his most recent speaking tour included a speech to students of the elite Indian university, Amity University, in Noida. He also spoke at a major Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) global summit, the PR Consultants Association of India in Delhi, the Symbiosis University in Pune and Cross-Cultural Training for Sundaram Business Services in Chennai. He has visited India on business missions on 10 occasions and led three major trade missions there. He provides cross-cultural training – Asia and the west. View all posts by Stephen Manallack