Marmalade, the new-age drinks company behind Brightside Craft Whiskey, has raised Rs 6 crore in an early-stage funding round. The round brought together a curated group of founders, operators and strategic investors from the alco-bev and consumer ecosystems.
Investors include Ashok Chokalingam, COO of Amrut Distilleries; Robert Sellares, from the founding family of Don Q Rum; Ishank Gupta, former AB InBev Director and Founder of Humyn Labs; the founders of Malt Society Arabia; and HomeLane founders Srikanth Iyer and Tanuj Choudhry.
The capital will be deployed towards distribution expansion, brand-building initiatives, and strengthening the company’s sales and operations capabilities. A key focus will be expanding into Mumbai and broader Maharashtra. Having started in Pune only in January 2026 and with Mumbai just getting started, Marmalade is already on track to reach Rs 5 crore in annualised revenue run rate in September 2026. The company is targeting Rs 15 crore ARR by December 2026, representing 3x growth in under four months across just two cities.
Founded by Udit Mediratta and Surojit Bhattacharya, Marmalade is building flavour-forward, easy-drinking spirits for the new generation of legal-drinking-age Indian consumers. Its first brand, Brightside Craft Whiskey, was launched in Pune in January 2026.
Commenting on the fundraising, Udit Mediratta and Surojit Bhattacharya, Co-founders of Marmalade, said, “Gen Z is expected to account for nearly 40% of India’s drinking population by 2030. Yet, much of the category still speaks to an earlier generation, with products and brands that have not kept pace with changing tastes. We created Marmalade to close this gap, with Brightside as our first expression of what a new-gen Indian spirits brand can be. This funding will help us take that vision to more consumers and build some of India’s most loved drink brands.”
Commenting on the investment, Sujeet Mitra & Ganesh Iyer, founding Partners at H5 Investments and Malt Society of Arabia, said, “The most compelling consumer brands bring together a strong team, a product that solves a real problem and a brand that people remember. Marmalade has that combination. Brightside makes whiskey more approachable for a new generation, while its distinctive brand and thoughtful packaging allow it to break through a crowded market. Udit and Surojit have the experience and ambition to build enduring alco-bev brands, and we are excited to support their journey.”
Brightside Craft Whiskey was developed in partnership with Amrut Distilleries and renowned Master Blender Ashok Chokalingam. The whiskey combines fine malts and grain spirits with a distinctive blend of botanicals.
Its bottle features a built-in meter that tracks pours and shows how much whiskey has been consumed and how much remains. The bottle also features an interactive peel-to-reveal label, which the company describes as a world-first innovation in the alcoholic-beverage category.
Positioned in the mass premium whiskey segment 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.
