UK firm sells Indian tonic water back to India

LONDON: Indian tonic water, which was invented during the British Raj in India as a preventive against malaria, will now be sold back to the country of its origin by a UK firm.

Fever Tree decided to capitalise on the popularity of the carbonated soft drink with quinine content, used as a popular mixer with gin even today. It is launching its range into India at the end of August as part of the UK government's GREAT Britain tourism campaign.

"We were going to launch in September but the Government is taking a delegation to Delhi in August and asked us to move it forward," Fever Tree co-founder Tim Warrillow told the 'Daily Telegraph'. The company currently turns over 25 million pound a year, and is hoping that India will provide a long-term platform for growth.

"It's still a whisky market. At the moment, gin and tonic in India is mainly drunk in the four and five-star hotels by expats and smart Indians but there is a rising middle class, adopting western drinking habits. Gin and tonic has historically been a drink known and understood there so there's a low barrier to entry," he added.

Fever Tree's launch reception will be held in the British High Commission in Delhi and India is Fever Tree's 50th export market.

"We're very excited about taking Indian tonic water back to the place it was first invented by the British back in 1820. There is no more famous and British an invention than gin and tonic," Warrillow said, claiming that there has been a boom in demand for gin and tonic in the last five years across Europe and beyond, claims Warrillow.

Fever Tree's current top export markets are mainly in Europe, although the firm, which uses all-natural ingredients, has experienced rising demand from the US, which is the largest premium spirit market in the world. Spain also remains a key trading partner.