By Abhya Adlakha
When Anand Virmani and Aparajita Ninan launched Greater Than, India’s first craft gin in 2017, they sold just over 7,800 bottles in a market dominated by international giants and mass-produced local brands. Cut to 2025. With Abhinav Rajput bringing his strategic vision to the brand, NAO Spirits has reported a remarkable 145% growth, reaching Rs 81 crore in gross revenue in FY24, compared to Rs 33 crore in FY23. Today the NAO portfolio brings in a rich flavour profile from juniper-forward expressions to cricket bat-aged spirits.
In an exclusive interview with PEAKLIFE, Anand, Aparajita, and Abhinav discuss their journey in building a brand that reimagines what Indian craft spirits can achieve on the global stage.
Excerpts from a conversation:
Share your roles in making NAO Spirits an astounding success
strong>Anand Virmani (AV): I bring to the table my experience with alcohol majors in William Grant & Sons and Remy Cointreau. My years at Perch —a wine, coffee and cocktail bar in Delhi added to my experience in the space, enabling me to bring in reality checks on how the industry operates and grasp the evolving consumer palate.
Aparajita Ninan (AN): We had to create the vision. That itself was the exciting bit. Being a visual designer helped me in putting this together. We had to unlearn and re-learn, making a departure from pre-existing notions that existed within the spirits industry. My experience in the publishing industry helped us break the mould.
Abhinav Rajput (AR): My years in the F&B space span the growth of my brand consulting and strategy firm, Beam & Words. Working with hotels, food companies, restaurants, and beverage brands as partners gave me valuable insights into the sector. This experience put me in an ideal position to team up with Anand and Aparajita to create NAO Spirits.
Can you share the challenges you faced in establishing NAO Spirits, and how did you overcome them?
AV and AN: Finance was a big challenge, synonymous with the entrepreneurial environment. The trickiest part was navigating our way through a previously uncharted domain of craft gin. We had frugal knowledge of the complexity of excise laws in India. It was a slow process.
AR: Large-format companies with established legacy brands rule the market, and we felt their presence in the early years when we introduced our brands to key restaurants and bars across the country. Many of these large companies already had strong commercial contracts and relationships in place. Over time, through increased engagement, an extremely positive consumer response to our gins, sustained efforts from our internal teams, and invaluable support from our trade partners, we established ourselves in the market. The journey has just begun for us.
With your combined background in chemistry, design, and finance, how did you ensure the product and its branding are both innovative and true to the craft?
AV and AN: Our backgrounds intersect, circling in creativity. We collectively identified principles that were important to us – being inclusive, anti-establishment and transparent – and always placed them above all else. These have served as fantastic guides at times when we felt overwhelmed.
AR: Our collective experience combined with market insights through our sales, brand and community teams who are constantly out there interacting with bar and restaurant operators, bartenders, servers and consumers: that is a big force. We keep a constant ear to the ground and keep a finger on the pulse of the consumers.
Where do you see the Indian craft spirit industry heading in the next five years?
AV and AN: We hope the craft spirits industry finds its unique voice and its place in the global craft spirits movement. Most of those who have entered this space have done so with the right intent. If the focus remains squarely on maintaining the highest levels of quality, the future for Indian craft spirits is likely the brightest in the world. We are working towards making NAO a part of this success story.
A piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
AV: Avoid being overwhelmed by the enormity of the task in front of you. Identify your goal, keep your head down, and start moving in that direction with purpose.
AN: Focus on your vision. Always be open to listening, learning and sometimes, even un-learning; and don’t be too hard on yourself.
AR: Prioritise innovation, seek professional guidance to periodically review your business model, and ensure you have enough time for your life outside your venture.
